The primary responsibility of the Natural Resources Police is protecting the State’s fisheries resources such as crabs, oysters, and the numerous fish species that are found in the Chesapeake Bay, tidal tributaries, and coastal waterways of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1868, the State Oyster Navy was created to protect the Chesapeake Bay oyster. This makes NRP one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the country and Maryland’s oldest conservation law enforcement agency in Maryland.

The enforcement of the commercial fisheries industry is vital to the successful management of this industry and to the sustainability of the State’s fishery resources. These regulations are tailored to each species. Both laws and regulations dictate the size, length, time and gender of the fisheries species that may be harvested or sold. The enforcement of these laws and regulation is paramount to the continued existence of the species for future generation.