THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 1967

more than one house for the buying, selling, marketing,
packing or canning of oysters, a separate license shall be
obtained for each house in which oysters are shucked or
otherwise prepared for market; such license to be in the
nature and form of a contract between the State of Mary-
land and the applicant, and shall provide for the payment
of a license fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25. 00), and shall
further provide that the licensee shall turn over to the
State of Maryland [at least] twenty percent (20%) of the
shells from the oysters shucked in his establishment for
the current season, said shells to be removed on or before
the twentieth day of August following [; or at the discre-
tion of the Commission, its equivalent in money, the value
thereof being determined at the market value of shells as
of the first day of May following the close of the season.
The said Department shall notify each packer or canner on
or before the first day of May whether it is its intention to
take the twenty percent (20%) of the shells from oysters
shucked as aforesaid, or its equivalent in money]. In addi-
tion to the said twenty percent (20%) of the shells to be
turned over to the State, every such licensee shall set aside
an additional quantity of thirty percent (30%) of the shells
from the oysters shucked in his establishment for the cur-
rent season, and on or before the twentieth day of August
following, the said licensee shall turn over such shells to
the State. THE DEPARTMENT OF TIDEWATER FISH-
ERIES SHALL HAVE THE PRIOR RIGHT TO PUR-
CHASE ANY OR ALL OF SAID 30% OF THE SHELLS
WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO BE SET ASIDE FOR
THE STATE BUT SHALL, NOT LATER THAN JANU-
ARY 1ST OF THE YEAR IN WHICH THE SHELLS
ARE TO BE PLANTED, NOTIFY ALL OWNERS OF
OYSTER SHELLS IN THE STATE OF ITS INTEN-
TION TO PURCHASE SUCH SHELLS. The State shall
reimburse the said licensee for the costs of such thirty
percent (30%) share of the shells at the current market
price therefor. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AS TO
EVERY SUCH LICENSEE IN BALTIMORE CITY, THE
COMMISSION SHALL HAVE THE OPTION OF DE-
CIDING WHETHER TO TAKE THE SHELLS OR THE
EQUIVALENT VALUE IN MONEY, WITH RESPECT
TO THE TWENTY PERCENT PORTION OF THE
SHELLS REFERRED TO HEREINABOVE; AND WITH
RESPECT TO THE SAID THIRTY PERCENT POR-
TION OF THE SHELLS, THE COMMISSION SHALL
HAVE THE OPTION OF DECIDING WHETHER OR
NOT TO PURCHASE SUCH SHELLS AT THE CUR-
RENT MARKET PRICE THEREFOR. Said license shall