Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                    813

land (1956 Supplement), title "Natural Resources", sub-title "Oysters
and Clams", sub-heading "Soft shell clams", be and it is hereby
repealled and re-enacted, with amendments, AND SECTION 663AA
BE AND IT IS HEREBY ADDED TO SAID ARTICLE, SUB-
TITLE AND SUB-HEADING OF THE CODE, TO FOLLOW IM-
MEDIATELY AFTER SECTION 663A THEREOF, ALL to read
as follows:

663A.

(i) Prohibited areas.—It shall be unlawful to take or catch or
attempt to take or catch soft shell clams with a hydraulic or me-
chanical dredge or with any other type gear upon any Natural Oyster
Bar as defined in the first paragraph of Section 649 (i) of this article.
In the waters of Talbot County it shall also be unlawful to take or
catch, or attempt to take or catch, soft shell clams by hydraulic or
mechanical dredge, or by any other means:

(1)  within 50 yards of any commercially productive oyster tong-
ing area defined on the charts of the Commission of Tidewater
Fisheries, or as defined under Section 649 (i) of this Article, or

(2)  within 500 yards of any occupied duck blind, where decoys are
set out, during the legal duck hunting season, or

(3) within 150 feet of any bulkhead, wharf, pier, structure or
appurtenance constructed or erected in, out in, over or under any of
the waters of this State under or by permit of the Corps of Engirt
eers, Department of the Army, or

(4)  within 1000 feet of any public bathing beach during the months
of May, June, July, August and September of any year, or

(5)  within 100 yards of any private bathing beaches, during the
months of May, June, July, August and September; provided that
the private bathing beaches shall be staked and marked by the
owners thereof upon which shall be lettered "Bathing Beach" of a
readily discernible size, or as may be required by any rule or regu-
lation of the Commission of Tidewater Fisheries; provided, however
that the linear measurement along the shore line shall not exceed
a distance of 100 yards for each land owner, or

(6)  in front of the town of Oxford between the mean high water
mark and the center of the channel of the Tred Avon River and
Town Creek, or EXCEPT DURING THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER
AND NOVEMBER, OR

(7)  on Sunday, or between sunset and one-half hour after sunrise
on any other day, or to land soft shell clams before sunrise or later
than one (1) hour after sunset. , OR

(8)   WITHIN 50 FEET OF THE MEAN LOW WATER MARK
OF ANY SHORE LINE.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect

June 1, 1957.

663AA. IN THE WATERS OF QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY
IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL TO TAKE OR CATCH OR ATTEMPT
TO TAKE OR CATCH SOFT SHELL CLAMS WITH A HYDRAU-
LIC OR MECHANICAL DREDGE OR WITH ANY OTHER TYPE