(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person authorized to catch crabs for commercial purposes may not set or fish more than 300 crab pots.

(b) For the license year ending August 31, 1994, a licensee who held a valid license to catch crabs for commercial purposes on April 1, 1994 may set and fish 300 additional crab pots for each additional crew member authorized on the license, but may not set more than 600 additional crab pots, regardless of the number of crew members, and may not set more than 900 pots per boat.

(c) (1) After August 31, 1994, an authorization granted under subsection (b) of this section to employ one or two additional crew members and thereby fish additional crab pots, shall be valid until the license is transferred, revoked by the Department or relinquished voluntarily by the licensee.

(2) An authorization granted under subsection (b) of this section may be transferred to another licensee separately from the original crab harvester license or tidal fish license in any valid transfer under Subtitle 7 of this title.

(d) (1) The Department shall determine the total number of additional crew authorizations granted under subsection (b) of this section.

(2) When a license is revoked or voluntarily relinquished, the Department may award the unused crew authorization to another licensee under criteria and procedures to be promulgated as regulations by the Department, provided that the number of crew authorizations in use may not exceed the total number granted under subsection (b) of this section as of August 31, 1994.