§ 4-1017. Oyster license

   (a) Required. -- Unless a license first is obtained from the Department, a person may not (1) have a fixed place of business buying oysters and employing labor to prepare them for market, or (2) buy more than 25 bushels of oysters per year from persons who catch them from the natural oyster bars of the State.

(b) Payment of taxes. -- The Department may not issue a license required by this section unless the applicant pays all taxes due for the prior year under § 4-1020 of this subtitle.

(c) Catching and possession of oysters. -- A person may possess oysters caught from the natural oyster bars of the State until one week past the close of the season for taking oysters as established in § 4-1008.1 of this subtitle. Oysters may be caught by dredge or handscrape at any time in Worcester County and may be shipped in the shell at any time within or from that county. In counties where oysters may be caught from leased areas at any time pursuant to the provisions of Subtitle 11A of this title, a person may possess oysters at any time.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 705; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 4, § 1; 1975, ch. 778; 1976, ch. 177, § 1, 3; 1977, ch. 748, § 2; 1983, ch. 579; 1987, ch. 178; 2004, ch. 25, § 6; 2005, ch. 25, § 12; 2013, ch. 43.