1246                           LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 705

the Department of Tidewater Fisheries in charge of the area
showing the date, the quantity of oysters removed from the re-
served area and the taxes due on such oysters.]

[(g) The Department of Tidewater Fisheries is authorized to
select and reserve for its own use for the propagation of seed oys-
ters 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.]

[(g-1)] (d) The Department of [Tidewater Fisheries] Chesa-
peake Bay Affairs is authorized to select and reserve for its own use
areas within the waters of this State for the propagation of seed
oysters, the number, size and location of such areas to be determined
from time to time by the Department according to the need therefor
[.] , provided, however, that not more than two per cent of the
natural oyster bars of the State, or of any county, shall be designated
as seed areas, and provided further, that all seed oysters produced
in such areas shall be planted on the natural oyster bars of this State.
NOT LESS THAN FIFTY PER CENT OF THE SEED OYSTERS
REMOVED IN ANY YEAR FROM ANY SEED AREA ESTAB-
LISHED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUB-SECTION
SHALL BE PLANTED ON THE NATURAL OYSTER BARS OF
THE COUNTY IN WHICH THAT SEED AREA IS LOCATED.
[Before reserving an area for such purposes, the Department and
the local committees acting in their capacity as pro tempore, ex
officio members of the Department as hereafter set forth shall first
hold a public hearing in Annapolis if such area is to be located in
the Chesapeake Bay or if such area is to be located in county waters,
in the county seat of the particular county in whose waters the
area is to be located. The time, place and purpose of such hearing as
well as the intended size and location of the area to be reserved shall
be advertised twice a week during the two weeks preceding the date
of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county,
if the area is to be located within the waters of any county, or in a
newspaper of general circulation in the State, if the area is to be
located in the Chesapeake Bay. The members of the general public
shall be permitted at such hearing to express their views with respect
to the necessity for the area to be established and the desirability of
the intended size or location thereof. The hearing shall be held
before, and the final determination made by, a committee of ten
persons consisting of the five members of the Tidewater Fisheries
Commission, five members of the local committee as set forth in
Section 707 (j) hereof, when the area under consideration is located
in county waters, which said local committee shall become ex-officio
members of the Tidewater Fisheries Commission, pro tempore, for
the purpose of such decision and shall have all of the rights, privileges
and authority of the Tidewater Fisheries Commission in relation
to the matters as above set forth in this section relating to the
area under consideration, including the right to vote one vote for
each of the members of the local committee. Each of the five members
of the Tidewater Fisheries Commission shall have one vote. A
majority of the ten votes cast as aforesaid shall be necessary to
carry any measure under consideration as herein set forth. The
Department shall keep minutes of the hearings and shall file in its
office as a public record a statement setting forth its decision and
the reasons therefor. If the decision of the Department is to reserve