Chap. 387.—An ACT to provide for the marking of boats engaged in the taking
of fish, oysters, clams and crabs in the tidal waters of this State; for the
marking of all pound nets, fike nets, purse nets, haul seines and other devices
for the taking of fish in the tidal waters of this State; and to provide pen-
alties for the violation thereof. [H B 367]

Approved March 20, 1920.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, as follows:

Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of the commission of fisheries to pro-
vide metal plates or tags, of such design or designs, with such letters
and figures stamped or painted thereon, as may be deemed proper by
the commission of fisheries, for the marking and designation of all
boats used in taking and catching fish, oysters, clams, and crabs m
the tidal waters of this State, and for the marking of all haul seines,
pound nets, fike nets, purse nets and other devices for the taking of
fish in the tidals waters of this State. Such metal plates or tags shall
be furnished by the commission of fisheries to the various oyster in-
spectors of this State, who shall furnish the same to the owners and
operators of every boat used and employed in the taking of fish, oys-
ters, clams or crabs in the tidal waters of this State, and the same
shall thereupon be attached by the owner or operator of such boat to
such boat, in such a position thereon as may be designated by the
commission of fisheries as the proper place to display said metal plate
or tag. It shall also be the duty of each oyster inspector, when issuing
a license to any person to operate a haul seine, or to set a pound net,
fike net, purse net or other device for the taking of fish, to furnish
such licensee with a metal disc or tag which such licensee shall dis-
play upon such part of such haul seine, pound net, fike net, purse net
or other device as may be prescribed by the commission of fisheries.

Sec. 2. The commission of fisheries may from time to time alter
the size, shape and color of such metal plates or tags as may be
deemed best and most expedient by it, and it may provide different
shaped and different colored plates and tags for different branches of
the fish, oyster, clam and crab industries of this State.

Sec. 3. Any person licensed to engage in the fish, oyster, clam or
crab business in this State who shall fail or refuse to properly attach
said metal plate or tag to the boat, haul seine, pound net, fike net, or
purse net, for which he has procured a license, or who shall remove
or suffer the same to be removed from such boat, haul, seine, pound
net, fike net, purse net or other device, shall be subject to a fine of
not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, and
provided, further, that should such metal plate or tag be removed or
destroyed by accident or by the force of the sea, or in any other casual
manner, it shall be the duty of the person holding the license to
operate, conduct and maintain such boat, haul seine, pound net, fike
5/6 ACTS OF ASSEMBLY. [va.

net, purse net and other device to at once apply to the inspector for
the district in which such boat, haul seine, pound net, fike net or other
device is located, to issue to him a new plate or tag, which applica-
tion must be made within twenty-four hours after the discovery of
the destruction or loss of the original plate or tag, and any person
failing so to do for twenty-four hours after the discovery of the loss
of any such plate or tag shall be liable to a fine of ten dollars a day
for every day until such additional plate or tag is applied for.

Sec. 4. Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to apply
to boats used purely for pleasure purposes or for the taking of fish,
oysters, clams or crabs for family use only, nor to person fishing
with rod and line or with hand lines, nor shall it apply to any of the
waters of this State above tide water.

Sec. 5. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are
hereby repealed. mS