Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners. 97 
LEASED OYSTER GROUNDS. 
The number of leases granted by the Shell Fish Commis- 
sion to residents of the State for lots to be used for the pur- 
poses of oyster culture, prior to December 15th, 1908, which 
are now valid, is 491, covering a total area of 2,230 acres. 
Of this number 388 leases covering 1,522 acres of bottom 
are those which have been granted in accordance with the 
provisions of Section 108 of the Haman Oyster Culture Law 
to lessees who desired to continue to hold the oyster lots held 
by them under former law.' The remaining 103 leases cover- 
ing 708 acres of bottom are those which have been applied 
for in Anne Arundel and Somerset counties, under the Haman 
Oyster Culture Law. 
The distribution of the lots now leased for oyster culture 
within the limits of the various tide-water counties; the area 
of bottom covered by each lease, and the name and address of 
each lessee, is given in the tables and lists which follow. 
In this connection, attention should be called to the fact 
that the barren bottoms of two counties only, Anne Arundel 
and Somerset, were available for lease at the end of the fiscal 
year, 1908, and that in Anne Arundel County alone the oppor- 
tunity to lease had come to all persons who might desire to 
exercise such a right. On the date mentioned the right to 
lease the bottoms available for oyster culture in the waters 
of Somerset County had but just passed to ‘‘oystermen,’’ the 
period of four months, during which the owners of Jand 
bordering upon Somerset County waters had the prior right 
to lease, having ended on November 1, 1908. Residents of 
the State not included among ‘‘riparian owners’’ and 
‘‘oystermen,’’ who may desire to take up some of the bot- 
toms available for oyster culture in Somerset County, will 
not have the right to take out leases until May 1, 1909. 
1 As reported on page 74 of the First Report of the Commission, There were 
4,009 holders of lots under former oyster culture law who were given an oppor- 
tunity to retain their holdings under the present law. Of this number 849 only 
applied for leases and less than half of those who made application finally 
executed leases to the State. 
