646 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 389

area exceeds ten cents per bushel, whereupon
the Commission may fix the rate thereof at not less
than ten cents nor more than twenty cents per bushel; but
no special charge or tax shall be collected in the case of
areas reopened after a period of rest or after closing to
prevent an oversupply upon the market. Said tax shall be
collected by the buyers at the place where said oysters
are to be no further shipped in bulk in vessels, and shall
be paid to the Commission or its duly authorized agents
by the buyers, in addition to any other tax on oysters now
or hereafter imposed by law, and payment thereof shall
be enforced in the same manner as the inspection tax im-
posed by Section 75 of this Article. The Commission shall
provide by regulation for the issuance of clearance papers
or certificates by its deputy commanders or other agents
covering the transportation of oysters from reserved
areas.

163. Any person who shall catch oysters on any re-
served area in violation of the provisions of this subtitle,
or of any regulation adopted by the Commission under
the authority of this subtitle, shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor and subject to the penalties prescribed by Section
161 of this subtitle. All sums collected under the pro-
visions of this subtitle shall be remitted to the State Treas-
ury within such time as the Comptroller may require, and
credited to the Conservation Fund.

164. The Commission is authorized to employ, at
any time or from time to time, any and all persons it may
deem necessary or advisable, and to lease or charter any
and all boats, vessels, scows or other equipment, it may
deem proper, for the purpose of catching, transporting,
planting or replanting oysters, shells or other cultch in con-
nection with the work of the Commission upon any and all
areas reserved under the provisions of this subtitle, and
to enter into any and all contracts it may deem necessary
for the purposes aforesaid, within the limits of its budget-
ary appropriations.

168. The Conservation Commission is authorized to
select and reserve for its own use for the propagation of
seed oysters any portion of the area now closed because
of pollution in any county and in addition thereto, any
portion or portions of Holland Straits, in the waters of
Dorchester and Somerset Counties.

Any person who shall catch oysters upon said reserved
area, without the permission of the Conservation Commis-