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.​
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
572Zeinog , RyanLittle Choptank RiverDorchester32.0Application Complete6/21/2022SLL
571Morris III, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's2.4Application Complete6/20/2022SLL
570Morris III, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's5.4Application Complete6/20/2022SLL
566Abbott, Jason A.Monie BaySomerset7.2Application Complete5/3/2022SLL
565Horseman, Mary LMadison BayDorchester70.4Application Complete4/8/2022SLL
564Green Pearl, LLCHarris CreekTalbot4.9Application Complete2/22/2022SLL
563Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Choptank RiverDorchester27.1Application Complete11/29/2021SLL
562Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Little Choptank RiverDorchester40.0Application Complete11/29/2021SLL
561Horseman, JohnMadison BayDorchester50.0Application Complete11/1/2021SLL
560Price, JoshuaChester RiverQueen Anne's5.7Application Complete10/28/2021WCCages
559Abey, AngelaChoptank RiverDorchester10.0Application Complete10/21/2021SLL
558St. Michaels Oyster Company, LLCHarris CreekTalbot3.8Application Complete10/21/2021WCFloats
557Solar Oysters, LLCChesapeake BayCalvert7.5Application Complete8/16/2021WCFloats
556Solar Oysters, LLCChesapeake BayCalvert7.4Application Complete8/16/2021WCFloats
555Abey, AnnChoptank RiverDorchester2.4Application Complete8/10/2021SLL
554Wisner, EricTangier SoundDorchester55.0Application Complete7/15/2021SLL
552St. Jeromes Crossroads, LLCChesapeake BaySt. Mary's13.3Application Complete4/9/2021WCCages and Floats
548Morris Jr, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's5.5Application Complete8/9/2020SLL
547Morris Jr, John B.Smith CreekSt. Mary's7.3Application Complete8/9/2020SLL
546Beauchamp, Lee RChincoteague BayWorchester38.3Application Complete7/28/2020WCFloats
545Kilinski , Francis WWicomico RiverCharles10.0Application Complete7/2/2020SLL
544Fowler, MathewWicomico RiverCharles22.3Application Complete7/2/2020SLL
543Nock, Gordon JWicomico RiverSomerset30.4Application Complete6/12/2020SLL
542Waller Jr, Harvey HanksFishing BayDorchester14.7Application Complete5/22/2020SLL
541Alksne, CynthiaSt. George CreekSt. Mary's0.1Phase II Review5/4/2020SLLY
540Thomas, Jr., RaymondEastern BayQueen Anne's25.9Application Complete4/16/2020SLL
539Brown, Jr., John F.Dukehart ChannelSt. Mary's103.2Phase II Review4/13/2020SLLY
538Lumpkins , Robert LanceCalvert BaySt. Mary's29.7Application Complete4/12/2020SLL
537Lumpkins , Robert LanceCarthagena CreekSt. Mary's14.6Application Complete4/13/2020SLL
536Bowen, Jr., William R.Cummings CreekTalbot2.5Phase I Review3/3/2020SLLY
535Frey, Gregory S.Johnson BayWorchester5.1Phase II Review2/28/2020WCFloats and BagsY
534Wierzbicki, Michael C.Chesapeake BayAnne Arundel0.8Public Notice2/12/2020SLLPN
533Dean, Rachel A.Patuxent RiverCalvert2.7PIM Request/Protest12/4/2019WCCagesPN
532Baker, Michael S.Choptank RiverDorchester12.4Hydrographic Survey11/13/2019SLLY
531Barnette, John T.Wicomico RiverSomerset4.8Public Notice11/8/2019SLLPN
530PJH Oyster Leases, LLCMonie BaySomerset9.5PIM Request/Protest10/18/2019SLLPN
527Henderson, Jr., William F.Tred Avon RiverTalbot8.4Lease Issued9/19/2019SLLPN
526Powley, Larry R.Tar BayDorchester39.8PIM Request/Protest9/11/2019SLLPN
525Morgan, Todd B.Patuxent RiverSt. Mary's2.8Pending Issuance9/5/2019SLLPN
524Lewis, Jr., Bradford R.Crab Alley BayQueen Anne's1.6Phase II Review9/5/2019SLLY
523Abner, Robert F.Chesapeake BayCalvert27.3Public Notice9/30/2019SLLPN
522Insley, Sr., Harry J.Nanticoke RiverDorchester7.9Application Complete8/22/2019SLL
521Gosnell, Wyatt D.Choptank RiverDorchester51.2Hydrographic Survey8/12/2019SLLY
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's12.6Hydrographic Survey5/29/2019SLLY
515Rudner , Lawrence Harris CreekTalbot1.8Public Notice5/28/2019WCCages & FloatsPN
514Green Pearl, LLCGoldsborough CreekTalbot9.4PIM Request/Protest5/16/2019SLLPN
513PJH Oyster Leases, LLCNanticoke RiverWicomico30.1Lease Issued5/3/2019SLLPN
511Eubanks , William ESouth RiverAnne Arundel0.4Pending Issuance4/22/2019SLLPN
510Rudner , Lawrence Harris CreekTalbot1.6Public Notice4/16/2019WCCages & 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 RiverSomerset6.3Phase II Review4/1/2019SLLY
505Dize, Roger LManokin RiverSomerset10.1Pending Issuance4/1/2019SLLPN
504Dize, Roger LManokin RiverSomerset4.8Pending Issuance4/1/2019SLLPN
503Cretsinger , Aaron JSt. George CreekSt. Mary's18.9PIM Request/Protest3/22/2019SLLPN
501Kellam III, Paul Calvert BaySt. Mary's29.8PIM Request/Protest3/22/2019SLLPN
500Gowe , Bobby LHarris CreekTalbot9.0Lease Issuance Pending3/18/2019SLLPN
499Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Chesapeake BaySt. Mary's41.6On Hold3/13/2019SLLY
498Hargrove, John NHarris CreekTalbot4.9Lease Issued3/12/2019SLLPN
497Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot14.6PIM Request/Protest3/4/2019SLLPN
496Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot10.7PIM Request/Protest2/25/2019SLLPN
495Maryland Seafood Cooperative, Inc.Manokin RiverSomerset28.9Hydrographic Survey2/13/2019SLLPN
494Williams, Brian CTrippe CreekTalbot6.1Lease Issued2/5/2019SLLPN
491Kraft Jr., Ralph Wicomico RiverSomerset60.3Lease Issued1/10/2019SLLPN
490Southern Connection Seafood, Inc.Little Annemessex RiverSomerset1.3Hydrographic Survey12/7/2018WCCagesY
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's5.3Pending Issuance9/26/2018WCCages & FloatsPN
483Gabeler, William ThomasPurnell BayWorchester1.9Lease 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 BayDorchester22.0PIM Request/Protest7/17/2018SLLPN
477Chase Jr., Henry VSt. Mary's RiverSt. Mary's1.0Lease Issued6/25/2018SLLPN
476Zecher, Linda KCaulk CreekTalbot1.7Lease Issued6/22/2018SLLPN
475Youngk Sr., Richard DChesapeake BayAnne Arundel1.7Lease Issued6/5/2018WCCages & FloatsPN
473Patuxent River Seafood, LLCPatuxent RiverCalvert1.7Lease Issued5/18/2018WCCagesPN
472Farrington, Jon DavidPatuxent RiverCalvert5.0Lease Issued5/10/2018WCCagesPN
471Robinson, Timothy MFishing BayDorchester19.1Lease Issued5/4/2018SLLPN
468Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot1.0PIM Request/Protest4/11/2018SLLPN
467Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot2.4PIM Request/Protest4/11/2018SLLPN
466Williams, Brian CTred Avon RiverTalbot14.6PIM Request/Protest4/6/2018SLLPN
462Lumpkins, Robert LanceSt. Mary's RiverSt. Mary's19.8PIM Request/Protest4/3/2018SLLPN
460Lumpkins, Robert LanceWicomico RiverSt. Mary's10.2App. Complete4/3/2018SLL
459Lumpkins, Robert LanceWicomico RiverSt. Mary's13.7Issuance Pending4/3/2018SLLPN
458Lumpkins, Robert LanceWicomico RiverSt. Mary's16.4Lease Issued4/3/2018SLLPN
456Leonard Jr., Samuel RTred Avon RiverTalbot8.2Lease Issued3/22/2018SLLPN
454McBee Jr., Harold AEastern BayTalbot5.0Lease Issued3/19/2018WCCages & FloatsPN
452The Tall Timbers Dev. Co., Inc.Herring CreekSt. Mary's2.5Lease Issued3/2/2018WCCagesPN
451Davenport , TinaChesapeake BayTalbot50.2Lease Issued2/28/2018SLLPN
449Zeinog, Ryan Little Choptank RiverDorchester16.3Lease Issued2/27/2018SLLPN
447Waller Jr., Harvey HanksFishing BayDorchester4.7Lease Issued2/22/2018SLLPN
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​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 Maude Morris at 410-260-2401 and maudee.morris@maryland.gov​​