28 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



The Collection of Data and Statistics Relating to the 

 Commercial Fisheries. 



The difficulty of collecting complete and accurate statistics of 

 the total catch of fishes has been remarked upon in previous reports. 

 There are so many and so various channels through which fishes 

 reach the market or the private consumer that it is practically im- 

 possible to keep track of them all. This difficulty is not peculiar 

 to Rhode Island, but applies to the fishing industry generally. 

 Nevertheless, a fair indication of the relative status of the fisheries 

 is to be had by comparing the statistics taken year after year from 

 the same sources. With this word of explanation, the following 

 tables of the catch of fishes and lobsters, based upon the records of 

 dealers and transportation lines, are, as heretofore, submitted: 



Table Showing the Amount of Fish, Lobsters, and Other Sea Products Shipped 



Monthly from Newport by the Principal Transportation Companies 



During the Year 1908. 



