<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 08.02.04.04" title_num="08" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="04" heading="Oyster Container and Tagging Requirements.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Containers.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Oysters harvested from waters of the State shall be stored prior to leaving the bar from which they were harvested in a:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Metal oyster tub that does not exceed the following inside dimensions:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>18 inches top diameter;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>16-1/2 inches bottom diameter; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>12 inches height;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Rectangular shaped container that does not exceed the following inside dimensions:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>12-5/8 inches width across the top;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>12 inches width across the bottom;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>20 inches in length; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>11-1/4 inches height;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Round container that does not exceed the following inside dimensions:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>16-1/2 inches top diameter;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>13-1/2 inches bottom diameter; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>14-1/4 inches height; or</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Container with dimensions approved in writing by the Department which shall have a volume that is comparable to the containers described in §A(1)(a)—(c) of this regulation, and, upon request, the Department's letter approving the container shall be displayed to any Natural Resources Police officer.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A container described in §A(1) of this regulation shall be:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Made of a rigid, open mesh;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Made of smooth, impervious, corrosion-resistant, and non-toxic materials which will not readily disintegrate or crack;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Constructed so that it may be easily cleaned and kept in good repair; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Constructed to allow either one side or one end to be opened to unload or inspect the oysters.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Oysters stored in accordance with §A(1) of this regulation may not extend beyond the top of the container.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Oysters stored in accordance with §A of this regulation shall remain in the original container until a tag is no longer required on the container in accordance with §D(1)(d) of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Oysters on board a skipjack harvested in accordance with Natural Resources Article, §4-1013, Annotated Code of Maryland, from:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Only one bar are exempt from §A(1)—(3) of this regulation; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>More than one bar may have oysters from one bar not in containers and all other oysters from different bars shall follow the container requirements of §A(1)—(4) of this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Tagging of Individual Containers.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Except as provided in §B(3) of this regulation, an individual storing oysters in accordance with §A(1)—(3) of this regulation shall complete and affix a Department-issued tag to each container of oysters prior to leaving the bar from which the oysters were harvested.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Except as provided in §B(3) of this regulation, an individual storing oysters in accordance with §A(5) of this regulation shall complete one Department-issued tag for the group of oysters not in containers and affix a Department-issued tag to each container of oysters prior to leaving the bar from which the oysters were harvested.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>An individual storing oysters in accordance with §A(1)—(3) or (5) of this regulation may use a tag not supplied by the Department if:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The individual:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Is licensed and certified to sell shellfish by the Maryland Department of Health in accordance with COMAR 10.15.04 and 10.15.07; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Follows the tagging requirements of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance, incorporated by reference by the Maryland Department of Health in COMAR 10.15.07.01; or</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Each tag the individual uses contains the statement “Wild Shellfish”, the state in which the harvest occurred, and, in the order specified, the following information:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The harvester’s license number as assigned by the Department;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The date of harvest, including the year;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The bar name;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The name of the region or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration code for the area in which the harvest occurred;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The type and quantity of shellfish; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>The statement “THIS TAG IS REQUIRED TO BE ATTACHED UNTIL CONTAINER IS EMPTY OR IS RETAGGED AND THEREAFTER KEPT ON FILE FOR 90 DAYS” in bold capitalized type.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Bulk Tagging.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Definitions.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>In this regulation, the following terms have the meaning indicated.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Bulk tag” means a tag that provides the necessary information as required by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance for a single lot of oysters.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>“Single lot” means oysters coming from a single oyster bar, harvested during a single trip on a single day by a single harvester.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Except as provided in §C(3) of this regulation, an individual storing oysters in accordance with §A(1)—(3) of this regulation may complete and affix a Department-issued bulk tag to a single container of oysters prior to leaving the bar from which the oysters were harvested.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>An individual storing oysters in accordance with §A(1)—(3) or (5) of this regulation may use a bulk tag not supplied by the Department if:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The individual:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Is licensed and certified to sell shellfish by the Maryland Department of Health in accordance with COMAR 10.15.04 and 10.15.07; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Follows the tagging requirements of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance, incorporated by reference by the Maryland Department of Health in COMAR 10.15.07.01; or</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Each tag the individual uses contains the statement “Wild Shellfish”, the state in which the harvest occurred, and, in the order specified, the following information:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The harvester’s license number as assigned by the Department;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The date of harvest, including the year;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The bar name;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The name of the region or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration code for the area in which the harvest occurred;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The type of shellfish;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>The statement “THIS TAG IS REQUIRED TO BE ATTACHED UNTIL CONTAINER IS EMPTY OR IS RETAGGED AND THEREAFTER KEPT ON FILE FOR 90 DAYS” in bold capitalized type;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>The following statement in bold capitalized letters: “ALL SHELLFISH CONTAINERS IN THIS LOT HAVE THE SAME HARVEST DATE AND ARE FROM A SINGLE AREA OF HARVEST”; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(viii)">
          <text>The number of individual containers in the lot.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>If one licensee is present on the vessel, only one bulk tag may be used.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>If a bulk tag is used, the vessel may only harvest from one bar on that day.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Tagging Provisions for Both Tagging of Individual Containers and Bulk Tags.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Tags:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Shall be durable and waterproof;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Shall be at least 5-1/2 x 2-3/4 inches in size;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Shall be completed legibly in indelible ink;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Shall stay affixed to the container until the container is in the possession of a person who is licensed and certified to sell shellfish by the Maryland Department of Health in accordance with COMAR 10.15.04 and 10.15.07; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>May not be reused.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>In addition to the tagging requirements of this regulation, a person who is licensed and certified to sell shellfish by the Maryland Department of Health in accordance with COMAR 10.15.04 and 10.15.07 shall follow the tagging requirements of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance, incorporated by reference by the Maryland Department of Health in COMAR 10.15.07.01.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>An individual shall only possess one type of tag, wild shellfish or farm-raised shellfish, while harvesting oysters.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Only one type of tag, individual or bulk, may be present on a vessel while harvesting oysters.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>An individual may not use a farm-raised shellfish tag to tag wild shellfish.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>An individual may not use a wild shellfish tag to tag farm-raised shellfish.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>If a tidal fish licensee obtains tags from the Department, the licensee shall be assessed an annual surcharge for the costs incurred by the Department for the tags.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Exemptions.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Oysters harvested for recreational purposes and not for sale are exempt from the requirements of §§A — D of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Oysters harvested from a lease and stored and tagged in accordance with COMAR 08.02.23 are exempt from the requirements of §§A — D of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>