2586                                        LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [Ch. 535

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1975.

Approved April 22, 1975.

CHAPTER 536
(House Bill 1361)

AN ACT concerning

State Oyster Culture — Areas for Propagation

FOR the purpose of removing certain restrictions related
to areas for planting oyster seed.

BY repealing and re—enacting, with amendments,

Article — Natural Resources
Section 4-1103(d)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1974 Volume and 1974 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 4-1103(d) of Article -Natural
Resources, of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1974 volume
and 1974 Supplement) be and it is hereby repealed and
re—enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

Article — Natural Resources

4-1103.

(d) The department may select and reserve for its
own use areas, to be known as seed areas, within the
waters of the state for the propagation of seed oysters.
The number, size, and location of these areas shall be
determined from time to time by the department. However,
no more than 5 percent of the natural oyster bars of the
state shall be designated as seed areas. The first
million bushels of seed oysters produced in seed areas
shall be planted on the natural oyster bars of the state.
[At least 50 percent of the seed oysters removed in any
year from any seed area to be planted on any natural
oyster bar shall be planted on the natural oyster bars of
the county in which that seed area is located.] The
department shall publish a notice of reservation not less
than 30 days before the closing date of any seed area in