American Fisheries Society. 137 
ers in Maryland engaged in the fish and oyster industries, and 
most of these are on the Eastern shore of Maryland. You can 
draw your own conclusions, 
Since my induction in office, April Ist, at a rough estimate 
I have prosecuted not less than 100 cases of violation of the 
laws and imposed fines ranging from five dollars (which is the 
minimum) for each fish, up to one hundred dollars. Nets have 
been destroyed and confiscated, and notwithstanding all of this, 
violations are going on and fishermen persist 1n violating the 
law, trusting to escape its penalties. On the Susquehanna Flats 
alone there are to-day estimated to be one thousand fike nets ; 
in the Chesapeake Bay there are vessels daily using purse nets, 
and in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries there are a suffi- 
cient number of pound nets, if put in a straight line, that would 
reach, | was going to say about two hundred miles, certainly a 
length that would surprise you. 
On last Tuesday, the 18th, for the first time in the history 
of fish protection in Maryland, | succeeded in arresting and 
taking into custody two schooners with their crews, consisting 
of thirteen men; four 24-foot yawl boats and two purse nets, 
one of one hundred and thirty fathoms and the other of one 
hundred and sixty-five fathoms, but in doing this, which is the 
greatest stride yet made by the state in breaking up purse net- 
ters, | only got two vessels out of a fleet of five. 
But [am taking up too much time in this matter. Fish pro- 
tection in Maryland, as I presume in other states, needs a num- 
ber of things to solve the problem. I suggest: 
First. After the passage of protective laws to provide the 
authorities who have the protection in charge proper machinery 
with which to-enforce these laws. I mean by this high speed 
vessels to reach those boats that attempt to escape after being 
detected. 
Second. Pound and purse nets should be prohibited in all 
the waters of the state without any exception. 
Third. Such nets as are permitted to be used should be of 
a sufficient size mesh to permit the small fish to go through 
without gilling. 
