Dredge boat restrictions.

[Slhaney]

Not that it really matters to almost anyone Im sure, but does anyone know the reasoning behind prohibiting guns other than two 10 gauge shotguns on dredge boats. I can understand , though I dont necessarily agree with, the other limitations on carrying. The dredge boat thing just seems so oddly specific and I would think it to be almost a non issue anyhow as most of us will never be on a dredge boat in our lifetime. Is this a relic law from years past that was just never removed from the books? Im thinking maybe thats it as the 10 gauge shotgun reference is somewhat outdated. Otherwise, if anyone knows differently, please let me know. Honestly I just curious.

 

[Jake4now]

Oyster Wars

 

[Trigger Time]

Oyster Wars

I agree, probably left over from those days.
One thing about laws on the books, they almost never take them off.

 

[Park ranger]

Unions

 

[slsc98]

… a relic law from years past that was just never removed from the books? …

You nailed it

 

[Phoenix_1295]

Here is some interesting insight on the oyster wars.

On the Water | A tale of tongers, dredgers and ‘oyster navies’ - Distinction

On and around the Chesapeake Bay, real “oyster wars” raged for a century, complete with cannons, machine-gun fire and Maryland and Virginia “oyster navies” attempting to keep the peace.

distinctionva.com

Maryland’s Oyster Wars: The Battle of the Little Choptank, Part 1

Dorchester County Oyster War Stories Oyster wars were fought throughout Dorchester County waters during the 1880s. The year 1888 was especially active with Battle of Bishops Head followed by the ba…

attractionmag.com

 

[Blacksmith101]

Here is some interesting insight on the oyster wars.

On the Water | A tale of tongers, dredgers and ‘oyster navies’ - Distinction

On and around the Chesapeake Bay, real “oyster wars” raged for a century, complete with cannons, machine-gun fire and Maryland and Virginia “oyster navies” attempting to keep the peace.

distinctionva.com

Maryland’s Oyster Wars: The Battle of the Little Choptank, Part 1

Dorchester County Oyster War Stories Oyster wars were fought throughout Dorchester County waters during the 1880s. The year 1888 was especially active with Battle of Bishops Head followed by the ba…

attractionmag.com

Here is the actual cannon that was mounted on the oyster police boat:

Oyster Wars Cannon Historical Sources

An official website of the State of Maryland.

dnr.maryland.gov

 

[Slhaney]

Here is some interesting insight on the oyster wars.

On the Water | A tale of tongers, dredgers and ‘oyster navies’ - Distinction

On and around the Chesapeake Bay, real “oyster wars” raged for a century, complete with cannons, machine-gun fire and Maryland and Virginia “oyster navies” attempting to keep the peace.

distinctionva.com

Maryland’s Oyster Wars: The Battle of the Little Choptank, Part 1

Dorchester County Oyster War Stories Oyster wars were fought throughout Dorchester County waters during the 1880s. The year 1888 was especially active with Battle of Bishops Head followed by the ba…

attractionmag.com

Thank you, very interesting.

 

[Slhaney]

Oyster Wars

Thanks. Never heard of the Oyster Wars before but thats some pretty wild maritime history here in MD and seems likely the original reason behind that law.

 

[Jim12]

Here is some interesting insight on the oyster wars.

On the Water | A tale of tongers, dredgers and ‘oyster navies’ - Distinction

On and around the Chesapeake Bay, real “oyster wars” raged for a century, complete with cannons, machine-gun fire and Maryland and Virginia “oyster navies” attempting to keep the peace.

distinctionva.com

Maryland’s Oyster Wars: The Battle of the Little Choptank, Part 1

Dorchester County Oyster War Stories Oyster wars were fought throughout Dorchester County waters during the 1880s. The year 1888 was especially active with Battle of Bishops Head followed by the ba…

attractionmag.com

Wow, that's some amazing stuff. Thanks for posting that. Never knew it was that contentious.

 

[Blaster229]

Surprised no one has mentioned that DNR was originally the "Oyster Police"

 

[Bertfish]

Surprised no one has mentioned that DNR was originally the "Oyster Police"

Clam Cops

Yes yes not the same animal but I like the ring

 

[Mark75H]

Crab cops, geese police, deer dicks, fish fuzz

There is much much more to the Oyster Wars story including a Supreme Court case and PT boat vs PT boat on the Potomac River. I knew one of the guys who served on MD's boat, the McKeldin

 

[antco]

Great links above. Very neat to see just how recently this was still a problem.

On the Water | A tale of tongers, dredgers and ‘oyster navies’ - Distinction

On and around the Chesapeake Bay, real “oyster wars” raged for a century, complete with cannons, machine-gun fire and Maryland and Virginia “oyster navies” attempting to keep the peace.

distinctionva.com

For residents of Colonial Beach, on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, cat-and-mouse chases between the oyster-patrol boats and invading dredgers became a spectator sport. One Saturday night in December 1956, hundreds gathered to watch two Maryland police boats and a seaplane chase down Harvey King, a brazen Virginia oysterman caught dredging in Maryland waters. King spotted the law and rocketed off, dumping illicit oysters in his wake and employing an evasion pattern that “would have sparked the envy of men experienced in naval combat,” wrote Wennersten.

At one point during the 90-minute chase, King attempted to ram the seaplane. At another, the Virginia patrol boat attempted to ram the dredger. Maryland police fired rifles and pistols, some pocking the dredge, others splattering the shore where spectators crouched behind cars. Miraculously, no one was hurt, but the incident exacerbated the tension between Maryland and Virginia officials.

A few weeks later, a Maryland police boat rammed a Virginia dredger so hard the stern fell off.

The closing chapter of the oyster wars came on a misty morning in 1959 when King was spotted just before dawn dredging oysters in Maryland territory. The Maryland oyster police fired shots at the unarmed boat as it zoomed toward the Virginia shore. One bullet fatally wounded crew member Berkeley Muse, a popular Colonial Beach character.

By then, both states had had enough, and the battle resumed in the legislatures. An agreement was finally reached Dec. 5, 1962, aimed at maintaining peace and regulating the Potomac River fisheries. Signed by President John F. Kennedy, it signaled the end of the Chesapeake Bay oyster wars, although Maryland and Virginia still maintain “oyster navies,” now called marine patrols, to keep law and order on the bay.

 

[wpage]

Interesting "Oyster wars". The 50's were a difficult time for many to make ends meet. Not too shocking that poaching oysters would have occurred. Similar to "Salmon war" between US and Canadian fisherman.

 

[John from MD]

"Back in 1868, the General Assembly created the “State Oyster Police Force” to tame the pirate ships from out of state and locally that were plundering Chesapeake Bay oyster bars and sending the bounty to northern cities."

An Evolving Force: Natural Resources Police Celebrates 150th Anniversary

news.maryland.gov

 

[Hit and Run]

Not that it really matters to almost anyone Im sure, but does anyone know the reasoning behind prohibiting guns other than two 10 gauge shotguns on dredge boats. I can understand , though I dont necessarily agree with, the other limitations on carrying. The dredge boat thing just seems so oddly specific and I would think it to be almost a non issue anyhow as most of us will never be on a dredge boat in our lifetime. Is this a relic law from years past that was just never removed from the books? Im thinking maybe thats it as the 10 gauge shotgun reference is somewhat outdated. Otherwise, if anyone knows differently, please let me know. Honestly I just curious.

History of MD and VA Oyster wars

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Doco Overboard]

"Back in 1868, the General Assembly created the “State Oyster Police Force” to tame the pirate ships from out of state and locally that were plundering Chesapeake Bay oyster bars and sending the bounty to northern cities."

An Evolving Force: Natural Resources Police Celebrates 150th Anniversary

news.maryland.gov

Thanks for posting.

 

[FrankZ]

Someone at NetFlix needs to get their teeth into this stuff.

 

[Jim12]

When I volunteered to raise oyster spat over one winter off a pier to help reestablishment of oyster reefs, they showed a brief historical documentary that said before the "invasion" of commercial oystermen from NY and elsewhere, the Bay had oyster reefs so large that boats ran aground on them.