1164                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 521

particular "State and local facilities loan." Nothing herein contained
shall affect any existing exemption from taxation as otherwise pro-
vided by law. (1968, ch. 593.)

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1971.

Approved May 17, 1971.

CHAPTER 521
(House Bill 309)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 698 (A) of
Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1970 Replacement
Volume), title "Natural Resources," subtitle "Oysters and Clams,"
to provide that oysters or clams can be caught by string or trays,
or similar devices and to provide for string culture of oysters
generally.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 698 of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1970 Replacement Volume), title "Natural Resources," subtitle
"Oysters and Clams," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments, to read as follows:

698.

(a) It shall be legal to take or catch oysters or clams in the

waters of this State by rakes, tongs, patent tongs, dredges, [or]

hand scrapes, string or trays or similar devices as defined in this

subtitle, and by no other means, except that in addition to the fore-

going means, soft-shell clams may be caught or taken by hydraulic
       

or mechanical dredges or rigs.

(i) (1) It shall be legal for any resident of Maryland to catch

seed oysters, in Maryland waters by suspended means, such as by

strings or trays, or similar devices providing said strings or trays

or similar devices do not touch bottom and do not interfere with

navigation.

(A) IT SHALL BE LEGAL TO CATCH OYSTERS OR
CLAMS IN THE WATERS OF THIS STATE BY RAKES,
PATENT TONGS, DREDGES, AND SCRAPES, CULTCH MA-
TERIAL SUSPENDED ON STRINGS, IN TRAYS, IN BAGS,
OR SIMILAR DEVICES AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION,
AND BY NO OTHER MEANS, EXCEPT THAT IN ADDI-
TION TO THE FOREGOING MEANS, SOFT-SHELL CLAMS
MAY BE CAUGHT BY HYDRAULIC OR MECHANICAL
DREDGES OR RIGS.

(I)(1) IT SHALL BE LEGAL FOR ANY RESIDENT OF
MARYLAND TO CATCH OYSTER SPAT IN MARYLAND
WATERS BY SUSPENDED MEANS SUCH AS CULTCH MA-