SOMERSET COUNTY. 4461

1896, ch. 260, sec. 2.

286. No bottoms shall be located or appropriated by any person or
body corporate for the planting of shells or oysters which are grassy or
suitable for the catching of soft shell or shedder crabs, where such crabs
are usually caught with scrape, drag-net or otherwise.

1896, ch. 260, sec. 3.

287. Any person or body corporate violating the provisions of the two
preceding sections shall be judged guilty of a misdemeanor before any jus-
tice of the peace in Somerset county or the Circuit Court in and for said
county, and upon conviction, shall pay a fine of not less than fifty dollars,
nor more than two hundred dollars for each and every offense, and shall
stand committed to the county jail, until fine and cost are fully paid.*

1906, ch,. 121, sec. 1.

288. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to survey, locate
or appropriate any grassy bottoms, suitable for the catching of soft shell
or shedder crabs within the limits of Somerset county, under the waters
of said county; and bottoms suitable for the catching of soft shell or
shedder crabs shall be construed to mean those bottoms to which persons
have been accustomed to resort for the purpose of catching such crabs,
and where such crabs may be caught in sufficient quantities to be profitable
to persons catching soft or shedder crabs for a livelihood; and any person
violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction before a justice of the peace or the Cir-
cuit Court for Somerset county, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not
less than $50 nor more than $100 for each and every offence, and stand
committed to the county jail until fine and costs are paid.

1906, ch. 121, sec. 2.

289. After the passage of this Act it shall be unlawful for any person
to hold any grassy bottoms under the waters of Somerset county, hereto-
fore located, suitable for the catching of soft shell or shedder crabs as
aforesaid, unless said bottoms have already been improved by the planting
of shells or seed oysters thereon; and all grassy bottoms, suitable for the
catching of soft and shedder crabs, as defined in Section 288 shall be
forfeited and surrendered to the public use, in all cases where seed oysters
or shells have not been planted on such bottoms; and in respect to bottoms
located before the passage of this Act, whereon no seed oysters or shells
have been planted, wherever any citizen of Somerset county shall appear
before any justice of the peace for said county, and make oath that any
person is attempting to hold in his possession any such bottoms, suitable
for the catching of soft or shedder crabs, contrary to the provisions of this
section, it shall be the duty of said justice to issue a writ for such person,
directed to the sheriff of Somerset county, charging such person with a

*Sec. 4, ch. 260, 1896, repealed all laws Inconsistent therewith.
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