Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Applications

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Below are the pending commercial shellfish lease applications received by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources since January 1, 2018, and determined to be complete. Incomplete applications are not listed. Designation of an application as complete does not mean that the proposed lease location meets all of the criteria for lease approval, and proposed lease locations are subject to change throughout the review process. The status of each application will be updated as it progresses through the review process. Please refer to the legend below the list for an explanation of what each status description means.​


LAST UPDATE: 12/2​​​​/24​​​


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
597Worrell , Daniel N.Brockanorton BayWorcester5.9Application Complete1/21/2024WCCages & FloatsY
595Beauchamp , Lee RChincoteague BayWorcester1.1Phase II Review10/19/2023WCCages & FloatsY
594Morris Jr, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's6.0Application Complete10/15/2023SLL
590Hollywood Oyster Company, LLCPatuxent RiverSt. Mary's10.9Phase I Review7/25/2023WCCagesY
588Tibbs , Devin LFishing BayDorchester15.2Application Complete7/12/2023SLL
587Robinson Sr, Timothy MFishing BayDorchester36.6Phase I Review6/27/2023SLLCagesY
586Lancashire Farms, Inc.Harris CreekTalbot4.1Lease Issued6/21/2023WCCages & FloatsPN
584Beauchamp , Lee RChincoteague BayWorcester2.4Phase II Review3/28/2023WCBagsY
583Miles River Oysters LPMiles RiverTalbot25.1Withdrawn2/6/2023WCCages
582Duffy , Marc R.Miles RiverTalbot2.1Phase II Review1/26/2023SLLY
581Duffy , Marc R.Miles RiverTalbot2.7Phase II Review1/26/2023SLLY
580Baunhofer , Jess RParker BayWorcester1.9Public Notice12/19/2022WCCages & FloatsPN
577Miles River Oysters LPMiles RiverTalbot25.1Phase I Review11/21/2022WCCages & FloatsY
576Parran, LisaHellen CreekCalvert7.5Phase I Review10/4/2022SLLY
573Hayden, Jr., Joseph C.Tar BayDorchester38.0Hydrographic Survey6/24/2022SLLY
572Zeinog , RyanLittle Choptank RiverDorchester32.0Phase II Review6/21/2022SLLY
571Morris III, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's1.8Hydrographic Survey6/20/2022SLLY
570Morris III, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's4.5Hydrographic Survey6/20/2022SLLY
569Abbott Jr, Wylie MFishing BayDorchester111.0Phase II Review5/20/2022WCCagesY
568Phillips, Mark C.Tar BayDorchester34.3Public Notice5/11/2022SLLPN
567Horseman, James A.Farm CreekDorchester8.1Public Notice5/5/2022SLLPN
566Abbott, Jason A.Monie BaySomerset7.1Hydrographic Survey5/3/2022SLLY
565Horseman, Mary LMadison BayDorchester70.4Hydrographic Survey4/8/2022SLLY
564Green Pearl, LLCHarris CreekTalbot4.9Hydrographic Survey2/22/2022SLLY
563Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Choptank RiverDorchester27.1Hydrographic Survey11/29/2021SLLY
562Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Little Choptank RiverDorchester40.0Phase I Review11/29/2021SLLY
561Horseman, JohnMadison BayDorchester36.4Hydrographic Survey11/1/2021SLLY
560Price, JoshuaChester RiverQueen Anne's5.7Pending Issuance10/28/2021WCCagesPN
559Abey, AngelaChoptank RiverDorchester12.1Hydrographic Survey10/21/2021SLLY
558St. Michaels Oyster Company, LLCHarris CreekTalbot3.8Phase II Review10/21/2021WCFloatsY
557Solar Oysters, LLCChesapeake BayCalvert7.5Phase II Review8/16/2021WCFloatsY
556Solar Oysters, LLCChesapeake BayCalvert7.3Phase II Review8/16/2021WCFloatsY
555Abey, AnnChoptank RiverDorchester2.9Hydrographic Survey8/10/2021SLLY
554Wisner, EricTangier SoundDorchester55.2Pending Issuance7/15/2021SLLPN
553Wilson , Coby RHarris CreekTalbot5.7Hydrographic Survey6/28/2021SLLY
552St. Jeromes Crossroads, LLCChesapeake BaySt. Mary's13.3Lease Issued4/9/2021WCCages and FloatsPN
548Morris III, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's5.6Hydrographic Survey8/9/2020SLLY
547Morris Jr, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's7.3Hydrographic Survey8/9/2020SLLY
546Beauchamp, Lee RChincoteague BayWorcester38.3Lease Issued7/28/2020WCFloatsPN
545Kilinski , Francis WWicomico RiverCharles9.5Lease Issued7/2/2020SLLPN
544Fowler, MathewWicomico RiverCharles22.3Lease Issued7/2/2020SLLPN
543Nock, Gordon JWicomico RiverSomerset28.0Lease Issued6/12/2020SLLPN
542Waller Jr, Harvey HanksFishing BayDorchester14.7Lease Issued5/22/2020SLLPN
541Alksne, CynthiaSt. George CreekSt. Mary's0.1Lease Issued5/4/2020SLLPN
540Thomas, Jr., RaymondEastern BayQueen Anne's21.1Public Notice4/16/2020SLLPN
539Brown, Jr., John F.Dukehart ChannelSt. Mary's103.2Withdrawn4/13/2020SLLY
538Lumpkins , Robert LanceCalvert BaySt. Mary's19.0Terminated4/12/2020SLLY
537Lumpkins , Robert LanceCarthagena CreekSt. Mary's10.1Hydrographic Survey4/13/2020SLLY
536Bowen, Jr., William R.Cummings CreekTalbot2.1Hydrographic Survey3/3/2020SLLY
535Coleman, CharlesJohnson BayWorcester5.1Hydrographic Survey2/28/2020WCFloats and BagsY
534Wierzbicki, Michael C.Chesapeake BayAnne Arundel0.8Lease Issued2/12/2020SLLPN
533Dean, Rachel A.Patuxent RiverCalvert2.7PIM Request/Protest12/4/2019WCCagesPN
532Baker, Michael S.Choptank RiverDorchester14.9Withdrawn11/13/2019SLLY
531Barnette, John T.Wicomico RiverSomerset4.8Lease Issued11/8/2019SLLPN
530PJH Oyster Leases, LLCMonie BaySomerset9.5Lease Issued10/18/2019SLLPN
527Henderson, Jr., William F.Tred Avon RiverTalbot8.4Lease Issued9/19/2019SLLPN
526Powley, Larry R.Tar BayDorchester39.8Lease Issued9/11/2019SLLPN
525Morgan, Todd B.Patuxent RiverSt. Mary's2.8Lease Issued9/5/2019SLLPN
524Lewis, Jr., Bradford R.Crab Alley BayQueen Anne's1.6Public Notice9/5/2019SLLPN
523Abner, Robert F.Chesapeake BayCalvert27.3Lease Issued9/30/2019SLLPN
522Insley, Paula F.Nanticoke RiverDorchester7.7Hydrographic Survey8/22/2019SLLY
521Gosnell, Wyatt D.Choptank RiverDorchester51.2Terminated8/12/2019SLLY
520Wallace, ElizabethLeadenham CreekTalbot15.3Application Complete7/29/2019WCCages
519Gombos, JeffreyChoptank RiverTalbot13.2Withdrawn7/25/2019SLLPN
518Wilford, JasonChoptank RiverDorchester5.0Lease Issued6/4/2019WCFloatsPN
517Poulos , Matthew Chesapeake BayCalvert12.3PIM Request/Protest5/31/2019WCCagesPN
516Morris III, John B.Smith Creek St. Mary's3.5Pending Issuance5/29/2019SLLPN
515Rudner , Lawrence Harris CreekTalbot1.8Lease Issued5/28/2019WCCages & FloatsPN
514Green Pearl, LLCGoldsborough CreekTalbot9.4Lease Issued5/16/2019SLLPN
513PJH Oyster Leases, LLCNanticoke RiverWicomico30.1Lease Issued5/3/2019SLLPN
511Eubanks , William ESouth RiverAnne Arundel0.5Lease Issued4/22/2019SLLPN
510Rudner , Lawrence Harris CreekTalbot1.6Lease Issued4/16/2019WCCages & FloatsPN
509Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Patuxent RiverSt. Mary's34.3Lease Issued4/11/2019SLLPN
508Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Patuxent RiverSt. Mary's22.9Lease Issued4/11/2019SLLPN
507Boyd , Jennifer HWicomico RiverSt. Mary's12.5Lease Issued4/3/2019SLLPN
506Dize, Roger LManokin RiverSomerset6.2Lease Issued4/1/2019SLLPN
505Dize, Roger LManokin RiverSomerset10.1Lease Issued4/1/2019SLLPN
504Dize, Roger LManokin RiverSomerset4.8Lease Issued4/1/2019SLLPN
503Cretsinger , Aaron JSt. George CreekSt. Mary's18.9Lease Issued3/22/2019SLLPN
501Kellam III, Paul Calvert BaySt. Mary's29.8PIM Request/Protest3/22/2019SLLPN
500Gowe , Bobby LHarris CreekTalbot9.0Terminated3/18/2019SLLPN
499Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Chesapeake BaySt. Mary's41.6On Hold3/13/2019SLLY
498Hargrove, John NHarris CreekTalbot4.9Lease Issued3/12/2019SLLPN
497Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot14.6Lease Issued3/4/2019SLLPN
496Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot10.7Lease Issued2/25/2019SLLPN
495Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Manokin RiverSomerset28.3Lease Issued2/13/2019SLLPN
494Williams, Brian CTrippe CreekTalbot6.1Lease Issued2/5/2019SLLPN
491Kraft Jr., Ralph Wicomico RiverSomerset60.3Lease Issued1/10/2019SLLPN
490Southern Connection Seafood, Inc.Little Annemessex RiverSomerset3.6Pending Issuance12/7/2018WCCagesPN
489Pfeiffer, WilliamPatuxent RiverCalvert12.7Lease Issued11/28/2018SLLPN
488Pfeiffer, WilliamPatuxent RiverCharles10.5Lease Issued11/28/2018SLLPN
487Buckler, Joshua Patuxent RiverSt. Mary's26.9Lease Issued11/20/2018SLLPN
486Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Little Choptank RiverDorchester8.8Lease Issued10/18/2018SLLPN
485Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Manokin RiverSomerset19.2Lease Issued10/11/2018SLLPN
484Budden, Scott Chester RiverQueen Anne's5.3Lease Issued9/26/2018WCCages & FloatsPN
483Gabeler, William ThomasPurnell BayWorcester1.9Lease Issued9/21/2018WCCagesPN
481McBee Jr., Harold AShipping CreekQueen Anne's0.2Lease Issued8/2/2018WCFloating UpwellersPN
480Abbott Jr., Wylie MFishing BayDorchester39.6Lease Issued7/30/2018WCCagesPN
479Maryland Seafood Coop., Inc.Lecompte BayDorchester22.0Lease Issued7/17/2018SLLPN
1 - 99Next
​The "Lease" column above refers to Lease Type.
  • SLL = submerged land lease
  • WC = water column lease

Application Status Legend

  • Application Complete (App. Complete) - The department has received a Joint Application for State Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture Lease and Corps of Engineers Federal Permit and determined that it included the required components and application fee necessary to proceed with review.
  • Phase I Review - The department has initiated its internal review to evaluate the proposed lease site for compliance with statutory and regulatory criteria for leasing.
  • Phase II Review - The proposed lease site is evaluated using Geographic Information System (GIS) software for proximity to and compatibility with ecological and cultural resource areas of concern, and comments on the application are compiled from other state and federal regulatory agencies.
  • Hydrographic Survey - The proposed lease site is surveyed by the department's hydrographic engineer to obtain the legal coordinates and acreage that will be mapped and advertised. Temporary corner markers are placed on the proposed site at this time.
  • Public Notice - The department advertises a notice of the application in a newspaper circulated within the county in which the proposed site is located. The notice appears in the paper once a week for two consecutive weeks, followed by a 30-day public comment period. The notice is also available to view on the department's Public Notice web page.
  • PIM Request/Protest - The department received a request for a Public Information Meeting and/or a Petition of Protest during the public comment period. An application will remain in this status until a meeting request has been fulfilled, if necessary, and while the department works with all parties toward resolution of any outstanding protests. This may include adjudication of the protest through the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings.
  • Pending Issuance - The department has concluded its application review and determined, based on the results of the review and/or an administrative hearing, that a shellfish lease may be issued.
  • Lease Issued – A shellfish lease was issued by the department. 

If you would like to receive alerts when the department updates this aquaculture application tracking tool, please sign up to receive emails from the department. Interested parties may receive emails by submitting their email address and selecting the Subscription Topic titled "Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Applications".

For more information about this list or the Aquaculture and Industry Enhancement Division, please contact Sam Pellegrini, phone 410-260-8648, email samantha.pellegrini@maryland.gov​