Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1961

thereto. The fee for such license shall not exceed $25.00 for a person
who has been a resident of Maryland for one year immediately pre-
ceding his application for license, or $100.00 for a person who is
not a resident of the State.

(9) PROTECTION OF SOFT SHELL CLAMS FROM CON-
TAMINATION, OR FROM DETERIORATION AS A RESULT
OF EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT.

Revocation or Suspension of Licenses

(h) The Department is authorized to suspend or revoke any
license issued under the provisions of this section or regulations
adopted pursuant thereto upon conviction of the licensee or his agent
of any violation MORE THAN TWO VIOLATIONS IN ANY
LICENSE YEAR of the provisions of this section or regulations
adopted pursuant thereto, AFTER DUE HEARING UPON NOT
LESS THAN TEN DAYS NOTICE TO THE LICENSEE.

Inspection Tax

(i) A severance tax of ten cents per bushel is hereby levied on all
soft shell clams caught within the geographical limits of this State.
The tax shall be paid by the buyer of such clams at the place in Mary-
land where the clams are to be no further shipped in bulk in vessel,
or before such clams are carried out of this State in vessel, and re-
mitted weekly to the Department for deposit to the credit of the
Fisheries Research and Development Fund.

(j) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to
take, catch, or dredge soft shell clams from any county waters of
Charles or Wicomico counties by the use of any hydraulic or mechan-
ical clam dredge. Any person who is convicted of violation of this
subsection shall be fined $500.00 and costs.

Penalty

(k) Any person who violates any provision of this section or
regulations adopted under provisions of this section shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not more than five
hundred dollars ($500.00).

(l) The Department shall cause to be elected in each county in
which soft shell clams may legally be taken by hydraulic clam dredge,
by persons licensed under the provisions of this section, an advisory
committee of five persons, of whom four shall be persons who are
licensed to operate a hydraulic clam dredge and one shall be a person
who is licensed solely to buy, sell, ship₂ or transport clams. The
Department shall confer with the committees so elected concerning
matters affecting the management of the soft shell clam fishery.

(M) THE DEPARTMENT OF CHESAPEAKE BAY AFFAIRS
MAY SEIZE ANY OR ALL SOFT SHELL CLAMS THAT MAY
BE CAUGHT, SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, OR HELD IN POS-
SESSION IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, TO BE DISPOSED
OF AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DEPARTMENT.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1970.

Approved May 21, 1970.