HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1425

eries by tongers or dredgers, as the case may be, at the place
where such oysters are to be no farther shipped in bulk in
vessels; provided, however, no such special tax shall be im-
posed upon oysters caught in the areas unless the Department
of Tidewater Fisheries shall have planted shells, oysters, or
other cultch as herein provided.

(g) Production of Seed Oysters by the State. The Depart-
ment of Tidewater Fisheries is authorized to select and
reserve for its own use for the propagation of seed oysters
any portion or. portions now closed because of pollution,
and in addition thereto, any portion or portions of Holland
Straights in the waters of Dorchester and Somerset Counties.

(h) State Oyster Planting. The Department of Tidewater
Fisheries is authorized to transplant oysters, shells or other
cultch from one closed area to another, to transplant or other-
wise utilize within the State such seed oysters as may be
produced upon shells or other cultch planted by said Depart-
ment, and to transplant or utilize any other seed oysters which
may accumulate on areas where such seed oysters are not
likely to develop into desirable marketable oysters.

12. PRIVATE OYSTER CULTURE

(a) Authorizing Lease of Oyster Grounds. The Department
of Tidewater Fisheries is hereby authorized to lease, in the
name of the State of Maryland, tracts or parcels of land to be
used for protecting, sowing, bedding or cultivating oysters or
other shell fish beneath the waters of this State, subject to
the provisions, limitations and restrictions hereinafter set
forth.

(b) Areas Not Leasable. No lease shall be granted for any
of the following submerged areas of this State, nor shall any
person acquire by lease, assignment, appropriation, or other-
wise any of these areas: any area beneath any creek, cove, bay,
or inlet less than one hundred yards wide at its mouth at mean
low water; any natural oyster bar as defined in this Article;
any area within fifty yards of any natural oyster bar, in any
county; any area within two hundred yards of any natural
oyster bar in the Chesapeake Bay; any crab bed or clam bed as
defined by the charts or amended charts of the Oyster Survey
of 1906 to 1912 on file in the offices of the Department of Tide-
water Fisheries. Any lease granted in violation of the pro-
visions of this sub-section shall be null and void and the land
described in such lease shall revert to the State as though no
lease had been made.

(c) Provisions for Re-surveys of State Waters. The Depart-
ment of Tidewater Fisheries may, at any time hereafter, re-