372                               Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 294

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1961.

Approved April 24, 1961.

CHAPTER 294

(Senate Bill 441)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 326 of
Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition),
title "Natural Resources", sub-title "Fish and Fisheries", sub-
heading "Crabs, Lobster and Terrapins", to allow the taking, catch-

ing, or possession of hard mature female crabs within the State.

RELATING TO THE TAKING, CATCHING OR POSSESSION
OF HARD CRABS IN THE STATE AND TO FEMALE CRABS
IN THE WATERS OF WORCESTER COUNTY.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 326 of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "Natural Resources", sub-title "Fish and
Fisheries", sub-heading "Crabs, Lobster and Terrapins", be and the
same is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as
follows:

326.

It shall be unlawful for any person to take, catch or have in his
possession any hard crabs, measuring less than five inches across the
shell from tip to tip of spike (minimum size for hard crabs shall not
apply to mature female crabs as identified by the rounded apron),
or any peelers (which are hereby defined as having a soft shell
fully developed under the hard shell, on which there is a pink line
or rim on the edge of that part of the back fin next to the outer
section of this fin) measuring less than three inches across the shell
from tip to tip of spike, or any soft crabs measuring less than three
and one-half inches across the shell from tip to tip of spike; nor
shall any person take, catch or keep in floats or in his possession any
fat crabs, or any crab known as snot crab or green crab, or buckram
crab (a crab that has a paper shell). IN THE WATERS OF WOR-
CESTER COUNTY THE MINIMUM SIZE OF CRABS SHALL
NOT BE APPLICABLE TO MATURE FEMALE CRABS AS IDEN-
TIFIED BY THE ROUNDED APRON. The provisions of this section
shall apply [to all waters of the State of Maryland] to crabs found
anywhere within the State, whether afloat or ashore, and whether
said crabs have been caught within the waters of this State or shipped
or brought into Maryland from other States, and any person violating
any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and
shall upon conviction be fined as hereinafter provided, and in addition
thereto the deputy commanders and inspectors of the State fishery

Explanation: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.