Delaware Code Title 7. Conservation § 2005. Leases

(a) Authorized lease of shellfish grounds.--The Department is hereby authorized to lease, in the name of the State, tracts or parcels of shellfish grounds in Delaware's Inland Bays to be used for shellfish aquaculture beneath the waters of this State, subject to the provisions, limitations and restrictions set forth herein.

(b) Scientific use of shellfish grounds.--The Secretary is hereby authorized to issue a lease in the name of the State to educational and/or scientific institutions or their designees for tracts or parcels of shellfish grounds to be used for scientific and/or educational purposes determined by the Secretary to be in the best interests of the shellfisheries aquaculture industry.  Such a permit shall contain at least the following information and criteria:  geographic location of the lease, species of shellfish being reared on the leased grounds, and the reason for the issuance of the lease.  At no time may the aquaculture products produced on shellfish grounds leased for scientific purposes be sold or traded or offered for sale or trade.  Importation of any shellfish or shellfish parts from areas outside of Delaware's Inland Bays must be approved in advance by the Department according to regulations filed by the Department.  The cost of processing this application shall be paid by the applicant.  Anyone deploying and leaving in place any equipment for scientific use of shellfish grounds in the Inland Bays shall conform to all applicable Department equipment marking requirements and shall be responsible for the removal of this equipment upon the termination of the scientific investigation.