that more crabs would be consumed if the price was regulated accord-
ing to the supply.

Anyone who has followed the efforts on the part of the Department
for the past five years will have no difficulty in determining that con-
servation measures adopted by the States of Maryland and Virginia are
solely responsible for the return of the crab.

There is also continual increase in the supply of upland game and
water fowl, which is due principally to the restocking of the covers of
the State with bob-white, quail and rabbits, the protection and regu-
lation of same by placing uniform seasons throughout the State, and
the enforcement of the Game Laws.

While there is not yet a noticeable increase in the supply of oysters,
it may be said that if it had not been for the progressive oyster laws
enacted in the past four years, results would have been disastrous. The
enactment of such laws as planting 10% of the shells made by the dif-
ferent oyster packers, which law has been upheld by the Supreme Court
of the United States, and the liberal appropriations given by the Legis-
lature in 1927 and 1929, have made it possible for the Department to
plant 750,000 bushels of oyster shells this year and to continue to do
so as long as the 10% law remains on the statute books and the ap-
propriations continue. This shell planting is aided also by reservations
of certain areas known as seed areas, in which planters are able to
secure young seed oysters to be planted upon their private grounds.
Renewed activity in private oyster propagation, enforcement of the
three-inch cull law and other conservation measures are not only stem-
ming the decrease in the oyster output, but are expected to cause rapid
increase in oyster production both on the natural rocks and from pri-
vate beds.

The Department will keep pace with this progress by building and
maintaining a Marine Laboratory provided for by the last General As-
sembly. The scientific information available from this source is expected
to be of great benefit to the oyster industry.

The principal laws which were enacted by the 1929 General Assem-
bly are as follows:

FISH AND CRABS

The re-enactment of Article 39 of the Code of Public General Lawn,
title "Fish and Fisheries," which act provides for the uniformity of all
the fish laws of the State, both general and local, pertaining to fisheries
and repealing all that are inconsistent. There were nearly 300 sections
of old fish laws re-enacted into an article containing 100 sections,

TERRAPIN

What previously applied to the fish laws may be said about the laws
pertaining to diamond-back terrapin. Article 92 was rewritten and like-
wise repealed all the local laws inconsistent therewith. As a result we
now have uniform seasons on catching, having in possession, selling and
size of terrapin throughout the waters of the State.

BLACK BASS

One of the most important fish laws that has been enacted for some
time is the one relating to Black Bass, namely, Chapter 180 of the Acts
of 1929. This act prohibits the catching, sale, transporting or having
in possession any black bass in the State during the months of April,
May, June and July, when caught in tidal waters. Above tide the season
for catching bass remains the same, July 1st to November 30th. This