SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                      1091

and 1966 Supplement), title "Natural Resources", subtitle "Oys-
ters and Clams", authorizing the Department of Chesapeake Bay
Affairs to sell a specified number of seed oysters to private plant-
ers under certain conditions.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 707 (d) of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1957 Edition and 1966 Supplement), title "Natural Resources",
subtitle "Oysters and Clams", be and it is hereby repealed and re-en-
acted, with amendments, to read as follows:

707.

(d) The Department of Chesapeake 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 percent of the natural oyster bars of the State,
or of any county, shall be designated as seed areas, and provided
further, that [all] of the seed oysters produced in such areas annual-
ly the first million bushels shall be planted on the natural oyster bars
of this State. Not to exceed fifty percent of the seed oysters pro-
duced annually in such areas in excess of one million bushels may
be sold by the State to Maryland citizens who hold valid leases under
the provisions of Section 708 of this Article, at fair market prices
NOT LESS THAN THE PREVAILING PRICE OF SEED OYS-
TERS OF SIMILAR QUALITY IN NEARBY STATES as deter-

mined by the Board of Public Works of Maryland and under such
'

conditions of sale as may be prescribed by the Department of
Chesapeake Bay Affairs. The proceeds from such sales shall be
credited by the Comptroller to the Fisheries Research and Develop-
ment Fund. Not less than fifty percent of the seed oysters removed
in any year from any seed area established under the provisions of
this subsection, and planted on the natural oyster bars of the State
shall be planted on the natural oyster bars of the county in which
that seed area is located. The Department shall cause to be published
a notice of reservation of any such area or areas in one newspaper
of general circulation in the State and in one or more newspapers
of general circulation in the county or counties in whose waters the
area or areas are located, not less than thirty days prior to the pro-
posed date of closing, and shall schedule a public hearing on the
proposal not less than fifteen days before the proposed date of clos-
ing; such hearing shall be held at the county seat of the county in
which the affected waters are located; if such waters are located in
more than one county then the hearing shall be held in that county
seat of the affected counties which is closest to the affected waters;
if the area affected is totally within State waters, then such hearing
shall be held in Annapolis.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1967.

Approved April 21, 1967.