32 report of commissioners of inland fisheries, 



Fish-Traps Set in Rhode Island Waters, and List of Trap 



Owners. 



The table giving the number and distribution of the fish-traps for 

 the past eleven years is given below, and continues to show the same 

 steady increase in the number of traps in various locations and as a 

 whole. Especially noticeable is the continued increase in number 

 in the Sakonnet river and off-shore divisions, where the cordon of 

 traps is being extended and covers new territory each year. A 

 glance at the accompanying chart, which shows the location of each 

 trap, shows that the fishermen are continuing to push their traps a 

 surprisingly great distance off shore. The West Passage and East 

 Passage divisions show little change; but in these divisions beam 

 trawling in the late fall and early spring has added materially to 

 the value of the fisheries. 



Table Showing Number and General Distribution of Fish- 

 Traps Since 1898. 



The following arbitrary divisions have been made for the sake of 

 convenience: 



I. Providence River. — South to a line joining Warwick Point and 

 Popasquash Point. 



II. Greenwich Bay. — South of Providence River division in west 

 passage to a line drawn east and west touching southern part of 

 Hope Island. 



III. West Passage. — The west passage south of Greenwich Bay 

 region to a line drawn due west from Beaver Tail and west of a line 

 connecting the east end of Greenwich Bay boundary and North Point. 



IV. Mount Hope Bay. — North of railroad bridge, Tiverton, and 

 a line connecting Bristol Ferry and Muscle Shoal Light. 



V. East Passage. — South of Providence and Mount Hope Bay 

 divisions and north of a line from Beaver Tail to Brenton's Point. 



