The Department enforces the laws governing the natural resources
of the Chesapeake Bay and inland waters; the conservation of wild
life and game; and maintains a research laboratory at Solomons, Md.

The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, located on Solomons Island,
in the mid-region of the Chesapeake Bay Country, is making marked
progress as an institution for wild life research and study of natural
resources indigenous to the State. In progress at the Solomons Island
institution are investigations into pertinent problems concerning
crabs, oysters, fish and certain of their related forms and enemies.
In the management of the laboratory, several colleges and independent
institutions are cooperating, to wit: University of Maryland, Johns
Hopkins University, Western Maryland College, Washington College,
Goucher College, and The Carnegie Institution of Washington.

The following courses were offered as class work to advanced
undergraduates and to graduate students during the 1938 session:
Algae, Invertebrates, Economic Zoology, Diatoms, Protozoology, Ex-
perimental Zoology, Biological Problems and Biological Survey of Solo-
mons Island Region. Class work is limited to eight students in these
various subjects relating to local problems, while an effort is made to
keep the registration down to five members in each class. Students
are accepted on the basis of interest and scholarship, special considera-
tion being given to those from cooperating institutions and to Mary-
land high school teachers. Instructional work is planned to the end
of affecting a greater interest in the facts and principles of conserva-
tion. All research problems are associated with the resources of the
State. Original work rather than formal classes is encouraged.

Pollution studies, both field and laboratory, chemical and biological,
are in progress in several parts of the State, while intensive work of
this type is being done in the Patapsco region, where industrial and
other wastes are intense.

Through cooperating institutions and independent research work-
ers, who are supplied working space and equipment, the Laboratory
is developing an extensive volume of fundamental knowledge about
the biological conditions of the State. This work involves, in addition
to stream and river, deep water investigations, trips on the open ocean
from whence come many of the State's commercial fishes, and basic
work on hydrography.

PROPAGATION OF GAME FISH.

Prior to 1926 the fresh water work was supported by State appro-
priations and only a limited amount of propagation could be accom-
plished. Since that time the Angler's License Fund was inaugurated
which relieved the State from support in this direction, and the rev-
enue from this source has made possible the following:

Enlarging and improving the Lewistown Hatchery at
Frederick County, and leasing and operating in connection
with the above named hatchery the White Rock and Richey
Camp rearing stations.

The purchase and construction of a 50 acre large mouth
bass ana crappie station at Fairlee, Kent County, where
since 1929, 700,000 bass and crappie have been distributed,
mostly in the waters of the Eastern Shore.

The purchase of sixteen acres in connection with the
Lewistown Hatchery for the purpose of the propagation of
small mouth bass. Four and three quarters acres were com-
pleted and operated this season, with an output of 206,000
bass from two to three inches. Total output 242,000 bass
and trout.