The Shellfisheries Council may lease to applicants therefor any of the lands of the State under the tidal waters thereof, to be exclusively used and enjoyed by each such lessee for the planting and cultivating of shellfish; except that no lands shall be leased above the southwest line in the Delaware Bay, as defined in R.S.50:3-11, except in Section E, described in subsection a. of this section. Nor shall any lands be leased in any creek tributary to Delaware Bay, nor any lands under the waters of Delaware Bay in the sections known as Areas, 1, 2 and 3, described in subsection b. of this section. However, Area 1 described in section 3 of P.L.1966, c.52 (C.50:3-16.3) may be leased and regulated for aquaculture practices under the authority of the "New Jersey Aquaculture Development Act," P.L.1997, c.236 (C.4:27-1 et al.). In addition, the department, in consultation with the council, may establish aquaculture development zones for approved aquaculture practices in specific creeks or tributaries of the Delaware Bay. On the Atlantic coast, no additional lands shall be leased at the mouth of the Tuckahoe River and the Great Egg Harbor River, nor the graveling beds at the mouth of the Mullica River, Parker's beds in Parker's Cove, Forked River beds, Cedar Creek beds and Sloop Creek beds in Barnegat Bay, nor any lands under the waters of the Mullica River above a line extending in a westerly direction from the south end of Deep Point; provided, however, that leases may be granted for lands heretofore leased in that area in the Mullica River, and except that no lands which lie under the waters of the Navesink River or the Shrewsbury River, shall be leased for the planting and cultivating of shellfish. The council may grant, subject to the approval of the commissioner, leases of new ground to educational institutions for the purpose of research, education, or both. The department may adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations governing those leases, including, but not limited to, criteria for acquisition, utilization, and renewal.

1. a. For the purposes of this section, Section E in Delaware Bay shall consist of all of the area within the boundaries described herein: Beginning at a point (X=80,906.06) (Y=44,868.54) said point being Channel Marker QR "32" and corner #1 of said section and running thence N 62° 00' 30.69" E 2,015.32 meters to corner #2 (X=82,685.62) (Y=45,814.42); thence S 56° 26' 20.6587" E 10,180.43 meters to corner #3 being also corner #1 lot 530 section D leased oyster ground lot (X=91,168.96) (Y=40,186.43) located on or near the southwest line; thence along the southwest line S 55° 22' 47.4875" W 5,858.91 meters to Cross Ledge Shoal Old Lighthouse foundation being corner #4 of the section (X=86,347.45) (Y=36,857.80); thence N 15° 55' 56.8215" W 5,407.14 meters to corner #5 being also GR "WR" buoy marking a wreck in the bay (X=84,863.17) (Y=42,057.23); thence N 42° 36' 15.5936" W 1,078.45 meters to a point in Delaware Bay being corner #6 of section E (X=84,133.13) (Y=42,851.02); thence S 70° 23' 47.4333" W 2,169.15 meters to corner #7 being a point on the east side of the Main Ship Channel in Delaware Bay (X=82,089.71) (Y=42,123.25); thence N 23° 19' 25.1298" W 2,989.59 meters to corner #1 the place of beginning.
2. b. Areas 1, 2, and 3 in Delaware Bay shall consist of all area within the boundaries described herein: Southwesterly of a line beginning at a point (X=114225.30) (Y=26636.70) on the shore of Delaware Bay in Cape May County, said point being about 200 meters south-southwest of Rutgers Cape Shore Laboratory, and running thence N 67° 31' 48.1592" W 6439.36 meters to a corner (X=108274.82) (Y=29097.81) said corner being on the line running from Dennis Creek Rear Range Light to Brandywine Lighthouse.

Amended 1947, c.359; 1953, c.260, s.1; 1959, c.35; 1981, c.62, s.1 2007, c.338, s.10.