420 ARTICLE 72.

said Committee determining the time and season to be recommended for
his own district. The Committee and each of them shall assist the Con-
servation Commissioner in detecting and reporting violations of the oyster,
fish and crab laws of this State_: and generally in the work of bettering con-
ditions in the oyster, fish and crab industry.

Reserved Areas.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 156. 1912, sec. 132. 1914, ch. 753. 1917, ch. 12. sec. 132.

1927, ch. 123, sec. 156.

156. The Conservation Commissioner of Maryland is hereby author-
ized to select and reserve for oyster conservation, as provided in this sub-
title, any portion or portions of the natural beds, bars and rocks of the
Chesapeake Bay in dredger's area to be replenished by transplanting of
small oysters, shells or other cultch, or in other feasible manner which the
Commissioner may deem best. The Commissioner shall give notice of said
reservation by advertisement to be inserted once a week for three succes-
sive weeks, in a newspaper published in Baltimore City, and in the County
where the reserved area is located, which advertisement shall describe the
area reserved and give the date on which the reservation takes effect, and
shall warn all persons not to catch or disturb oysters upon such reserved area
until further notice from the Commissioner for re-opening same for public
use. Whenever in the discretion of the Commissioner such reserved areas
shall have been replenished, he shall fix dates for re-opening and closing
same to the public, and shall give notice thereof by proper advertisement
inserted as above provided. Whenever after the re-opening of the area, the
Commissioner in his discretion deems it advisable to close said area before
the date advertised in said notice, then the area shall be reserved against the
further catching of oysters for public use. No further notice to oystermen
is necessary than the notification by the Deputy Commander in charge
of said area. Any person who shall catch or disturb oysters upon such re-
served areas between the date reservation begins and the date fixed by the
Commissioner for re-opening same, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof before any Judge or Justice of the Peace of the
County having jurisdiction, or if in the Chesapeake Bay in the County
most accessible or convenient shall be fined not less than $100. 00 nor more
than $200. 00 or confined in jail not less than 30 days nor more than 6
months, either or both, and the said cargo confiscated and returned to the
waters under the supervision of the Deputy Commander or other officer
making the arrest, and the boat or vessel shall be held for the security of
payment of said fine.

If any boat or vessel shall be seen sailing on such reserved areas in the
same manner in which they sail to take or catch oysters with scoop, scrape,
drag or dredge or similar instrument, the said beat shall be pursued by an
officer authorized by this Section to make arrest and if said boat or vessel
apprehended by said officer shall be found to have on board any wet oysters
or dredges or dredge lines or wet deck indicating the taking of oysters at
said time and properly equipped for taking or catching oysters in scoop,
scrape, drag or dredge or similar instrument such fact shall be deemed