1954 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Apr. 4

toms have been so located as aforesaid, the said loca-
tions shall be published in such newspapers in the
city of Baltimore and of the several tide water conn-
ties as may be designated by the Shell Fish Commis-
sioners; such notice stating that such bottoms as have
been laid off and marked are closed against any and.
all persons for a period of two full years from the first
day of August in the year in which the oyster shelly
have been scattered or deposited thereon, or until the
Shell Fish Commissioners shall remove said buoys and
other visible marks and bounds and give notice of the
opening thereof

"Sec. 71. And be it enacted, That after such notice
of the closing of said bottoms shall have been given
and published as herein provided, any person who
shall in any manner at any time take or catch oysters
from said bottoms shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor and upon conviction therefor shall be fined
not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five
hundred dollars, or be sentenced to be confined in the
Maryland House of Correction for a period not ex-
ceeding six months, or be both fined and imprisoned in
the discretion of the Court. The Ones collected under
this Act shall be placed lo the credit of the Oyster
Fund.

"Sec. 72. And be it enacted, That any person who
shall wilfully or knowingly destroy or remove any
floating buoy or other visible mark placed as herein-
before provided to designate said bottoms upon which
oyster shells have been scattered and deposited shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon convic-
tion before a Justice of the Peace or by a Circuit
Court of the counties of this State or one of the Crim-
inal Courts of Baltimore city, shall be sentenced to
confinement in the House of Correction for not less
than six months.

"Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That nothing herein
contained shall be construed to affect any prosecution
for violation of the exisiting laws of this State or for
offenses against the same, committed before the pas-
sage of this Act; and that all Acta or parts of Acts in-