2110 VETOES

The Tidewater Fisheries Commission, and I, are of the
opinion that interpretation of this Bill would be extremely
difficult. In one section, it states "it shall be unlawful for
the Commissioner of Tidewater Fisheries to license the use of
any net or other device for catching fin fish for commercial
purposes in the tidal waters of this State, except the follow-
ing: pound net, haul seine, and fyke or hoop net more than
40 yards in length and gill net more than 150 yards in length. "

In another section, the Bill states that the Commissioner
shall grant licenses "provided that the Department of Tide-
water Fisheries shall issue to any citizen licenses for stake
gill nets or drift gill nets not more than 250 yards in length,
upon receipt of an application and fee, for use in the waters
of the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. "

It is readily noticeable that in one section, the Bill states
that the Commissioner of Tidewater Fisheries cannot license
nets unless they exceed a specified dimension and in another
section, the Bill states that the Commissioner cannot license
nets that exceed the same dimensions.

Therefore, I am returning this Bill without my approval.

Respectfully,

THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor

TRMcK/o'c

May 7, 1951

Hon. George W. Della
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. President:

Senate Bill No. 388, which would provide for buoys to be
placed on certain lines dividing state and county waters is
herewith returned without my approval.

The Tidewater Fisheries Commission and I agree that this
Bill should not be enacted into law since it would be im-
practical and unfeasible to comply with its provisions. It
would be impossible to clearly define the county waters since
the buoys might be readily removed or destroyed. The imposed
cost upon the Tidewater Fisheries Department would be well
beyond the gains. The program would be expensive and the
maintenance cost would be great.

Furthermore, there appears to be no real need for such a
boundary marking system since the landmarks are well de-
scribed and are known.