.10 Seafood Dealer Penalties.
A. For each conviction of a chargeable offense listed in §§E—K of this regulation, the Department shall enter on the record of the person the number of points listed for that particular conviction.
B. The points and penalties associated with each conviction are described in §§E—K of this regulation. All statutory references are to Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, unless otherwise noted.
C. The term “person” as used in this regulation is defined under Natural Resources Article, §4-101, Annotated Code of Maryland.
D. The points and penalties as described in §§E—K of this regulation apply to individuals holding a Seafood Dealer’s License under Natural Resources Article, §4-701(d)(2)(ii)(4), Annotated Code of Maryland, and purchasing seafood from individuals, other than themselves, licensed under Natural Resources Article, §4-701(d)(2)(ii), Annotated Code of Maryland, to harvest seafood for sale.
E. Tier I. The following violations are Tier I violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier I violation receives 5 points.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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(1)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.04.04
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Oysters: less than 5 bushels
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(2)
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4-1027
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Selling or Shipping Hard-Shell Clams Without the Proper License
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(3)
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COMAR 08.02.02.05
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Possessing Undersized Soft-Shell Clams: 15%—24% per bushel in 5 or more bushels
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(4)
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4-1036, COMAR 08.02.02.08, COMAR 08.02.02.09
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Unlawfully Selling or Shipping Soft-Shell Clams
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(5)
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4-215, 4-803, COMAR 08.02.03.14E
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Possessing Undersized Crabs — 10 or more bushels containing:
(a) Hard Crabs:
(i) 10—30 per bushel;
(ii) 23—75per barrel;
(b) Peelers:
(i) Over 15 per bushel;
(ii) Over 25 per float; or
(c) Soft Crabs: 10 or more
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(6)
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4-215, 4-803, COMAR 08.02.03.14B
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Possessing Female Crabs in Male Crab Bushels — 10 bushels or more containing over:
(a) 10 per bushel; or
(b) 23 per barrel
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(7)
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4-215, 4-803, COMAR 08.02.03.11A
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Violating Regulations Pertaining to Mature Female Crab Closure Period — 5 bushels or more containing over:
(a) 8 per bushel; or
(b) 18 per barrel
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(8)
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4-809(c)
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Possessing Fat, Snot, Green, or Buckram Crab in Worcester County: 20 or more
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(9)
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COMAR 08.02.06.01
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Violating Snapping Turtle Size Limits: 12 or more undersized snapping turtles
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(10)
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COMAR 08.02.06.01
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Possessing Snapping Turtle Eggs
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(11)
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4-2A-03, 4-215,COMAR 08.02.15.05
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Whole Striped Bass: 5—15 fish
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(12)
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4-2A-03, COMAR 08.02.15.07
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Striped Bass Size Limits: 5—15 fish
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(13)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.21.03
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Yellow Perch Size Limits: 11—24 fish
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(14)
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4-733, COMAR 08.02.15.12
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Possessing Fish Whose Size or Weight Cannot Be Determined — more than 50 pounds
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F. Tier II. The following violations are Tier II violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier II violation receives 10 points and a 30-day suspension.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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(1)
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4—1007, COMAR 08.02.04.16, COMAR 08.02.08.02, COMAR 08.02.23.04E
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Failure to Be Properly Licensed as a Buy Station When Buying Oysters — First Offense
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(2)
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4—215, COMAR 08.02.04.04
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Possessing Undersized Oysters: 15%—24% per bushel in 5 bushels or more
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(3)
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COMAR 08.02.04.16
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Failure of Oyster Buyer to Fill Out Buy Ticket — Second or Subsequent Offense
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(4)
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COMAR 08.02.02.05
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Possessing Undersized Soft-Shell Clams: 25%—49% per bushel in 5 or more bushels
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(5)
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4—215, COMAR 08.02.21.03B
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Yellow Perch Size Limits: 25—50 fish
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G. Tier III. The following violations are Tier III violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier III violation receives 15 points and a 60-day suspension.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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(1)
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4-743
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Knowingly Violating Shellfish Quarantine
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(2)
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COMAR 08.02.03.14
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Possessing Undersized Hard Crabs — 10 or more bushels containing:
(a) 31—40 per bushel; or
(b) 76—100 per barrel
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(3)
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4-902
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Violating Regulations Pertaining to Terrapins—No Commercial Sale
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(4)
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4-2A-03, 4-215,COMAR 08.02.15.05
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Whole Striped Bass: 16—25 fish
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(5)
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4-2A-03, COMAR 08.02.15.07
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Striped Bass Size Limits: 16—25 fish
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(6)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.21.03
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Yellow Perch Size Limits: 51 or more fish
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(7)
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Natural Resources Article, Title 4, COMAR 08.02.03, COMAR 08.02.04, COMAR 08.02.05, COMAR 08.02.15, COMAR 08.02.21, COMAR 08.02.22, COMAR 08.02.23
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Purchasing Fish Harvested During a Closed Fishing Season
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H. Tier IV. The following violations are Tier IV violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier IV violation receives 20 points and a 90-day suspension.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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(1)
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COMAR 08.02.04.04
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Possessing Undersized Oysters: 25—49% per bushel in 5 or more bushels
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(2)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.04.04
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Oysters: 5—9 bushels
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(3)
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COMAR 08.02.02.05
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Possessing Undersized Soft-Shell Clams: 50% per bushel in 5 or more bushels
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(4)
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COMAR 08.02.03.14
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Possessing Undersized Hard Crabs — 10 or more bushels containing:
(a) 41-50 per bushel; or 08.02.13
(b) 101—125 per barrel
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(5)
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4-2A-03, COMAR 08.02.05.09
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Possessing River Herring: 5 or more per container
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(6)
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4-2A-05(c), COMAR 08.02.12.04A
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Taking Endangered or Threatened Species of Fish
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I. Tier V. The following violations are Tier V violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier V violation receives 25 points and a 180-day suspension.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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(1)
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COMAR 08.02.04
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Possessing Undersized Oysters: 50% or more per bushel in 5 or more bushels
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(2)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.04.04
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Oysters: 10 or more bushels
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(3)
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COMAR 08.02.03.14
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Possessing Undersized Hard Crabs — 10 or more bushels containing:
(a) 51 or more per bushel; or
(b) 126 or more per barrel
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(4)
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4-2A-03, 4-215, COMAR 08.02.15.05A
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Whole Striped Bass: 26—35 fish
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(5)
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4-2A-05, COMAR 08.02.15.07
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Striped Bass Size Limits: 26—35 fish
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(6)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.21.03B
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Possessing Undersized or Oversized Yellow Perch: 41—50 fish
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(7)
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4-215, COMAR 08.02.03.08
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Possessing Egg-Bearing Females Harvested Out-of-State — Bill of Sale Required
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(8)
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COMAR 08.02.05
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Unlawfully Possessing American Shad, Hickory Shad, or Sturgeon
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J. Tier VI. The following violations are Tier VI violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier VI violation receives 30 points and a 365-day suspension.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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(1)
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4-708, 4-701(l)(2), COMAR 08.02.13.02E
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Operating When a License is Suspended or Revoked
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(2)
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4-701
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Operating Without a Required Commercial Fishing License or Authorization
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(3)
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4—1007, COMAR 08.02.04.16, COMAR 08.02.08.02, COMAR 08.02.23.04E
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Failure to Be Properly Licensed as a Buy Station When Buying Oysters — Second or Subsequent Offense
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(4)
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COMAR 08.02.24A,COMAR 08.02.05.24B
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Unlawfully Finning Sharks or Dogfish
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(5)
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16 U.S.C. §3371-3378
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A Violation of the Lacey Act (Misdemeanor)
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(6)
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4-2A-03, 4-215,COMAR 08.02.15.05A
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Tagging Whole Striped Bass: 36 or more fish
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(7)
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4-2A-05, COMAR 08.02.15.07
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Violating Requirements Pertaining to Striped Bass Size Limits: 36 or more fish
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K. Tier VII. The following violations are Tier VII violations. A person who receives a conviction for a Tier VII violation receives 35 points and license revocation.
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Statute or Regulation
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Description
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16 U.S.C. §3371-3378
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A Violation of the Lacey Act (Felony)
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L. In addition to the penalties as described in §§E—K of this regulation, a person who receives 5 or more violations under Natural Resources Article, Title 4, Annotated Code of Maryland, on separate days within a 2-year period may be subject to a suspension not to exceed 180 days.
