Chap. 708.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 2 of an act to regulate the
taking of oysters in the Potomac river, approved March 13, 1884, which said
act is now embodied in section 2177 of the code of Virginia.

Approved March 6, 1894.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
two of an act to regulate the taking of oysters in the Potomac river,
approved March thirteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-four, which
said act is now embodied in under section twenty-one hundred and
seventy-seven of the code of Virginia, be amended and re-enacted so
as to read as follows:

§ 2. Restriction as to time and manner of taking them.—And be it
enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any citizen of Maryland or
Virginia to take or catch oysters with a scoop, scrape, dredge or any
such instrument in the waters of the Potomac between the fifteenth
day of March and the fifteenth day of October of each year; it shall
not be lawful for any citizen of either state to take oysters with
tongs from the waters of the Potomac river between April twenty-
fifth and September first of each year; it shall not be lawful for any
person to have in possession any oysters in the waters of the Poto-
mac between the fifteenth day of April and the first day of Sep-
tember of each year. Every person found guilty of violating any
of the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than two hun-
dred and fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each
offence, and the vessel by which oysters are illegally taken, or which
receives oysters so illegally taken, or which has oysters on board
within the limits of said river within the time specified, shall be
held as security for the payment of the fine hereinbefore mentioned,
and be subject, also, to a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more
than one hundred and fifty dollars; and in event of such fines not
being paid within a period of twenty days, then such vessel to be
forfeited and sold, the surplus, after payment of fines and costs, to
be paid to the owner or owners of the boat; one-half of fines to go to
the informer, the other half to the state.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage, and shall continue
in operation until repealed or altered by either the states of Mary-
land or Virginia.