Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners. 91 
One hundred fifty-four bouys were established in Somerset 
County waters during the fall of 1907; of this number 80 were 
floaters. 
The buoys marking the natural bars in Wicomico County 
waters were placed in the spring of 1908, and the missing 
buoys marking the natural oyster bars in Somerset County 
were replaced. It was found that 90 per cent. of the cypress 
buoys previously established in Somerset County had stood 
_the ice and winter, were in place, floating high and had 
absorbed but little water. The stake buoys, on the other hand, 
had suffered by the floating ice and most of them had been 
earried away. 
PLANTERS’ BUOYS. 
The State buoys established to mark the limits of the 
natural oyster bars are valuable as markers for a limited time 
only. After the survey of the waters of a county or section 
thereof has been completed and before the charts and reports 
are filed in the office of the clerk of the Cireuit Court for the 
respective counties, as provided for under Section 86 of the 
Oyster Culture Law, the buoys are placed. These buoys must 
remain in their established positions for a period of four (4) 
months from the date on which the barren bottoms of the 
county are opened for lease; this is to give both oystermen 
and planters a chance to appeal in case natural bars have 
been omitted or barren bottoms included. (See Sec. 89 of 
Chapter 711, Acts 1906.) 
The planters on the other hand are obliged to permanently 
maintain their buoys or stakes marking the corners of their 
oyster lots leased to them by the State. 
Experience has shown the necessity of maintaining markers 
for oyster lots. 
1st. To restrict planters from using larger areas than they 
are legally entitled to hold. - 
2d. To prevent encroaching on the natural bars lying 
adjacent to leased lots, or on a leased area by oystermen, 
which cause disputes and unfriendly relations. 
3d. ‘To prevent disputes relative to location of corners 
marking legal boundaries of planters’ lots adjacent to one 
another. 
