BUREAU OF FISHERIES 105 
bass law inspectors who are regularly employed State officials serv- 
ing the Federal Government without pay under the direction of the 
Chief of the Division. 
Over 100 investigations were made of reports of violations. No 
eases were reported for prosecution in Federal court, as this drastic 
procedure was not found necessary to obtain compliance with the 
law. Two seizures were made, and a number of cases were success- 
fully prosecuted in State courts. 
Progress was made in obtaining improvements in State ‘black 
bass laws, the most important of which was the adoption of a closed 
season in Florida, Considerable work was done in Tennessee, South 
Carolina, Maryland, and Kentucky in connection with civing black 
bass better legal protection. Daily and size limits were ‘improved i in 
many States, and 3 States adopted resident anglers’ licenses for 
the first time. Three States adopted part-time nonresident anglers’ 
licenses. Over 40 State legislatures were in session, and more changes 
than usual were made in ‘the sport fishing laws, both by statute and 
regulation, than in any previous year. Five States made very 
definite changes in their regulatory bodies administering fish and 
game work. 
A Fishery Circular containing the text of the black bass law and a 
synopsis of the laws of the United States and Canada was revised 
and published. Also several of the series of leaflets on various angling 
subjects were revised and issued. Articles, press releases, and radio 
talks were prepared; fish codes corrected for national magazines; 
addresses were pr epared and delivered to various fish and game or ean- 
izations on black bass protection. 
The Division has prepared under the terms of the act of Congress 
for the protection of whales a total of 36 licenses: 3 of these were for 
floating factory ships, 2 for shore stations, 1 for a combination ob- 
servation and killer boat, and the others for catcher boats operated 
by ships or shore stations. The total revenue received from the 
issuance of these licenses was $10,250, which was turned into the 
United States Treasury. The Division has cooperated with officials 
of the Treasury Department, State Department, and others in admin- 
istering The Whaling Treaty Act. 
The act of Congress providing for the issuance of permits to take 
certain small fish ‘for bait in the District of Columbia is also admin- 
istered in the Division, and over 30 permits were issued during the 
year. 
; AQUARIUM 
The aquarium, located in the Department building, has maintained 
its status as a focal point of interest to visitors, school classes, and 
students of biology. However, increasing chlorination of the city 
water supply w hich feeds the aquarium is presenting a serious prob- 
lem in the maintenance of the specimens. In order to assure a con- 
tinuation of the displays, particularly of young fish and a model 
hatching apparatus, it will be necessary to provide suitable equipment 
for dechlorinating the water. 
VESSELS 
Fifteen vessels of the Alaska service cruised approximately 127,000 
nautical miles in the fiscal year 1937 as compared with 120,000 miles in 
the previous year. The Penguin covered approximately 28,000 miles, 
