will protect the black bass during the spawning season) and, it is to be
hoped, will increase the supply.

PURSE NETS

While purse and buck nets were not entirely eliminated in our Bay
waters, there were changes made in the present law that will go far
toward curtailing the operation of these nets. The recodification of the
fish laws provided that the season on purse and buck net fishing begins
July 15th instead of June 15th and it also prohibits the use of any
such nets in any of the tributaries of the Buy,

FISH HATCHERY WORK

The Department, with the funds acquired from the Anglers' License
Law, has been enabled to increase its hatchery facilities for fresh water
game fish. This law requiring all anglers, whether residents or non-resi-
dents, to have a license to fish, Iras brought in considerable revenue.
Tire Lewistown Hatchery has been enlarged to take care of a million
trout a year. The purchase of Fairlee Mill Pond in Kent County) where
a dam has been erected by the Department and a large lake for the
propagation of large mouth bass thereby created, together with the
further development of the trout station at Bear Creek in Garrett
County, will assure an ample supply of game fish for stocking the fresh
water streams of the State. Tire Department also rents Cushwa Springs
in Washington County, where brook and brown trout are transferred
from the Lewistown hatchery and are reared to legal size before libera-
ting. The Department, in cooperation with the State of Pennsylvania,
is stocking Conowingo Pool. Twenty-eight million yellow perch fry
were placed there this spring by the Department, as well as a. number
of bass. This work is paid for by the Susquehanna Power Company to
each State in lieu of useless fish ways which were not practicable for
lifting fish 100 feet from the Susquehanna to the pool.

The Department endeavors each spring to increase the output of its
commercial hatcheries. The season of 1930 was not, however) so suc-
cessful as the preceding year, although a very good showing was made.
More yellow perch eggs were taken at the Severn River than ever belore,
but owing to a period of exceedingly warm weather which occurred in
February, the eggs were improperly fertilized and a great loss resulted.
The yellow perch hatch for the State, however, totalled 661,440,000 fry
which were distributed widely in the rivers and creeks. There wag a
considerable increase in the white perch output this season, but nearly
a 50% decrease in shad. This was attributed to the very light run of
shad in Maryland waters during the spring of 1930; advance reports
from the Government's station located on Potomac River indicating a
similar decrease.

With the regulation of the net system in Maryland, the Department
feels that the migratory fish will be on the increase.

OYSTERS

Very little oyster legislation was passed at the General Assembly
of 1929. The principal measure was Joint Resolution No. 12, providing
for the Governor to commission the Conservation Commissioner of Mary-
laird to meet with the representatives of Virginia for the purpose of
resurveying oyster bars of the Potomac River and recommend to the
Legislature of each State such measures as said representatives may
deem advisable for the restoration of the oyster bars.

GAME

The State Game Division enforces all game and fresh water fish laws
and its receipts through the sale of hunting licenses are credited to the