38 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Iii 1870 it was claimed that fish on the New England coast were being depleted by 

 the use of traps and seines, and a determined effort was made by the legislatures of Mas- 

 sachusetts and Rhode Island to pass laws to suppress them, but it failed, and in spite 

 of their use the floods and droughts of fish have happened with their usual regularity. 

 * During the year 1890 scup were as plenty as ever known since their appearance in 

 1800, and the following figures are instructive, showing conclusively that for the last 

 ten years they have more than held their own with unrestricted trap fishing: 



The number of barrels shipped from Newport were: 



In 1892 tautog were exceptionally plenty, and in 1893 squeteague were plentier 

 than ever before known. 



Sam B. Miller, who has had over fifty years' experience in Fulton fish market, has 

 sent me the following letter, which is instructive in this connection: 



D. T. Church: 



Dear Sir : Your letter at hand asking for information about blackfisli. Well, I will say that they 

 are very plenty and very cheap. I have no recollection of seeing them more plentiful in the last fifty 

 years and at the end of the season, for shipping them in barrels. The smacks began to arrive with 

 live ones, until at one time it was estimated there were alive in the dock more than 100,000 pounds. 

 But they are out at a much less price than any year for the last ten years. Bluefish and weakfish have 

 been through the season very plenty. I never knew weakfish as plenty and as cheap in my time; 1 

 cent per pound was considered a good price for many days, and many tons were sold for less. 



S. B. Miller. 



From 1870 to 1893 similar tioods and droughts have happened to every fish known 

 to our coast fisheries. 



The menhaden fishery, one of the most important in the country, is being ruined 

 by the stringent laws enforced against it by several of the seaboard States. Millions 

 of barrels of menhaden have been in Buzzards Bay this season with fishermen and 

 factories idle, because Massachusetts will not allow them to betaken with 'nets in that 

 bay, resulting in disaster to invested capital and labor and fishermen depending on 

 that fishery for their daily bread ; also in a short crop of oil, causing our oil merchants 

 to send to Japan for fish oil of an inferior quality at a higher price. The Maine men. 

 haden fishermen had a similar experience in Maine in 1891, causing a heavy loss of 

 money, which badly crippled those engaged in that fishery in that State. Last year 

 the State of Delaware arrested and made trouble for the menhaden fishermen in Dela- 

 ware Bay and so did the State of New York in the head of Long Island Sound. 



In the light of the above facts I would suggest that this Fishery Congress recom- 

 mend to the Congress of the United States the appointment of the head of the U". S. 

 Fish Commission, Eugene G. Blackford, and Tarleton H. Bean, to inquire into the 

 condition of the sea and shore fisheries of the United States, with powers similar to 

 those given to the English commission, and have them report their conclusions and 

 recommendations the same as the English commission did at the end of theirs. 



