The Secretary of Maryland Department of Natural Resources pursuant to Natural
Resources Article, Section 4-1103 and section 4-1037 of Maryland´s Annotated Code announced that the following areas in the Choptank River, Talbot County will be closed to shellfish harvesting for the purpose of establishing an oyster sanctuary and reserves effective Friday, September 14, 2001.. The Beacons sanctuary area is in the vicinity of Howell Point Addition and is approximately 6 acres in size. The Howell Point Addition reserve area is approximately 118 acres in size and the Bolingbroke Sand reserve area is approximately 267.95 acres in size. These closures have been coordinated with the local County Oyster Committees.

The Beacons sanctuary is all the area defined by: a point at or near Latitude 38° 37´ 20.9” N, Longitude 76° 07´ 07.2” W then running approximately 289° (true) to a point at or near Latitude 38°37´ 22.6” N, Longitude 76° 07´ 13.4” W then running approximately 19° (true) to a point at or near Latitude 38° 37´ 27.3” N, Longitude 76° 07´ 11.3”W then running approximately 106° (true) to a point at or near Latitude 38° 37” 25.9” N, Longitude 76° 07´ 04.9” W then running approximately 200° (true) to the point of beginning. This area will be closed permanently.

The Howell Point Addition reserve is all the area, except for that of the sanctuary described above, and defined by: A point at or near Latitude 38° 37´ 04.2” N, Longitude 76° 06´ 47.4” W then running approximately 270° (true) to a point at or near Latitude 38° 37´ 04.2” N, Longitude 76° 07´ 22.2” W then running approximately 10° (true) to a point at or near Latitude 38° 37´ 26.4” N, Longitude 76° 07´ 17.4” W then running approximately 78° (true) to a point at or near Latitude 38° 37´ 30.0” N, Longitude 76° 06´ 56.4” W, then running southerly along the shore to the point of beginning. This area will be closed until further notice and reopened in consultation with the county oyster committees.

The Bolingbroke Sand reserve area is all the portion of Natural Oyster Bar 16-3 enclosed by a line beginning at a point at or near Coast Guard buoy 27, defined by Latitude 38º34' 21.2" N and Longitude 76º 02' 31.8" W then running approximately 307º (true) to a point at or near the sixth pile from the south end of the north fishing pier, defined by Latitude 38º 34' 49.6" N and Longitude 76º 03' 20.1" W then running approximately 32º (true) to a point at or near Natural Oyster Bar Corner16-3-5, defined by Latitude 38º 35' 9.1" N and Longitude 76º03' 4.4" W then running approximately 121º (true) to a point at or near Natural Oyster Bar Corner 16-3-6, defined by Latitude 38º 34' 46.9" N and Longitude 76º 02' 17.6" W then running approximately 76º (true) to the point of beginning. This area will be closed until further notice and reopened in consultation with the county oyster committees.

The department´s goal is to restore oyster populations in these areas and to designate these grounds closed to harvest in order to contribute to the ecology of the river. Seed oysters will be planted on the sites to rebuild populations, if needed.