Maryland laws and regulations require leaseholders to pay annual rent and provide the department with a report documenting the use of a lease during the past year. If you have an email address on file, you were emailed an electronic copy of your 2024 Lease Rent Invoice and documents; otherwise, a packet was sent to your mailing address on file. Your invoice for annual rent and the documents must be completed and returned to the department in order to comply with these requirements. Failure to submit complete and timely payment and information may result in delayed permits or termination of your lease.
Annual Usage Documents
Be sure to review the instructions and information on all of the forms carefully. Please use the checklist below to ensure you have enclosed all of the required items with your mailing. Incomplete or unsigned forms will not be accepted and may lead to a delay in permitting.
2024 Annual Mailing Letter to all leaseholders for your records only:
Personalized documents included in your email for each lease. These documents need to be printed out, completed, and returned for each lease:
▢
2025 Lease Rent Invoice with Payment
▢
2024 Annual Usage Report Form
▢
2025 Shellfish Aquaculture Harvester Permit Registrant Renewal Form
Water column leases only:
▢ 
Current Water Column Insurance
If you hold more than one lease, you must complete and return a separate annual report, SAHP renewal, verification and signature, and landing location form for each lease. Rent may be submitted as one combined payment for all of your leases; however, please make a notation of the lease number(s) on your check. Finally,
please make a copy of all forms and reports submitted to the department for your records.
If you have any questions about these enclosures, please contact the Aquaculture and Industry Enhancement Division at (410) 260-2401 or
aquaculture.dnr@maryland.gov.
Shellfish Aquaculture Harvester Permits and Registration Cards
Shellfish Aquaculture Harvester Permits and Registration Cards (SAHP/RCs) will be renewed in 2024 if all requirements of the permit, including monthly harvest reporting have been satisfied and individuals remain eligible for permitting. New Registrants, who have not done so previously, must obtain the required DNRid and Aquaculture Declaration, review the harvester education training document and sign the Harvester Verification and Signature Form prior to receiving a harvester card.
Your personalized SAHP renewal form contains a trained date next to each card holder. Please verify the trained date(s) is not expired (every five years). If the trained date is expired, that individual will need to review the harvester education training document and sign the Harvester Verification and Signature Form prior to receiving a harvester card.
PLEASE NOTE: Your current SAHP/RCs will expire on Dec. 31, 2024. If you plan to conduct aquaculture activities on your lease beginning Jan. 1, 2025, your paperwork must be complete and received no later than Dec. 5, 2024, to ensure processing, printing, and delivery of your Permit and Registration Cards before Jan. 1. Issuance of SAHP/RCs is not guaranteed by Jan. 1 for leases that have forms received after (or are not complete by) Dec. 5. After that date, SAHP Renewal forms will be processed upon receipt and 2025 SAHP/RCs will be mailed on a rolling basis every two weeks beginning Jan. 8, 2025 All forms must be completed and received by the department no later than Jan. 1, 2025 to remain in good standing and avoid receipt of a termination notification letter.
