908 ARTICLE 72.

Time for Taking Oysters.

An. Code. 1924, sec. IS. 1912. sec. 16. 1904. sec. 15. 1894, ch. 380, sec. 14.
1900. ch. 380. 1927, ch. 463, sec. 18.

18. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to take or catch
oysters or have oysters in his or their possession between the fifteenth day
of April and the first day of September in each and every year; provided,
that oysters caught before the fifteenth day of April may be disposed of at
any time before the twentieth day of April; nor shall it be construed to
prevent any person from taking oysters at any time from his private beds
within the State for private use or transplanting or cultivating but not for
sale.

Dredging.

1927, ch. 475. 1933, ch. 244.

22A. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or employ in catch-
ing or taking oysters in the waters of the State or to have in his possession
any scoop, dredge, scrape or similar instrument having a tooth bar more
than 42 inches in length measuring from the outside teeth on dredges used
in dredging on rock bottoms and 44 inches in length measuring from the
outside teeth on dredges used in dredging on mud bottoms, and of a
weight not exceeding 200 pounds. No "devil catcher, " "devil diver" or
similar device shall be had in possession or used on any dredge boat or
vessel by any captain or any other person for the purpose of being attached
to the dredge for steering same to the bottom.

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined the sum of $50. 00,
and in addition thereto such scoop, dredge, scrape or similar instrument
shall be confiscated. Upon second offense, in addition to the above pen-
alties, any license which may have been issued under the provisions of
Section 23 of this Article, to the person so convicted shall be revoked for
the remainder of the season for which said license was issued.

All Deputy Commanders and Inspectors of the State Fishery Patrol
are hereby authorized, directed and empowered to make an inspection of
all boats and vessels engaged in the catching of oysters, for the purpose of
ascertaining whether such boat or vessel is equipped or has on board any
scoop, dredge, scrape or similar instrument which does not comply with
the provisions of this section.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 23. 1912, sec. 21. 1904. sec. 20. 1S94, ch. 380, sec. 19.
1900. ch. 380. 1933. ch. 518.

23. The comptroller of the treasury shall upon application of any per-
son who has been a resident of this State for twelve consecutive months next
preceding his application, issue a license to such resident, and to no other
person, to employ such boat in taking or catching oysters with scoop, dredge
or similar instrument within the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, Potomac
River and in Eastern Bay, outside of a line drawn from the southwest cor-