REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



Men employed afloat 164 



Sailing vessels in use 1 



Steamers " 8 



Pounds in operation 5 



Fish caught 39,483,600 



Gallons oil made 344,845 



Tons crude scrap made 3,637 



" dry " " 



Capital invested $520,000 



EEPOKT OF CHAIKMAN OF COMMISSION ON 

 LOBSTEES. 



The constant and increasing demand for lobsters, and the greatly 

 increased efforts to supply the demand have caused much serious 

 inquiry as to their ability of maintaining the stock in the waters. 



Although they occupy all the ground of our coast generally 

 fished over, they are subject to so many perils that it sometimes 

 seems a miracle that any survive. 



Perils. 



Perils are ever present with them. At no period of their lives 

 are they safe from natural enemies; the codfish, haddock and 

 the black fish prey upon them in every condition of their existence, 

 large or small, hard or soft shell, but their greatest danger is dur- 

 ing the moulting period, when they become the most helpless 

 creatures in the world, and are eagerly devoured by all sorts of 

 fish life ; and their own cannibalistic propensities justify the belief 

 that they materially aid in the destruction of their own kind regard- 

 less of consanguinity. In this the lobsters have no better record 

 than other fishes, and our experience with the young shows them 

 not a whit behind the worst characters among fishes. 



The first peril that besets the lobster begins with the eggs; 

 when attached to the mother they are often stolen by some small 



