12 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



cheaper tliau by auy other method. This we say would be very 

 much more effective and at less cost to the State, than an army 

 of officers or a flotilla of gnnboats. 



To secure and return to. the water as young life, every egg 

 carried by the lobsters, would promise very much more than has 

 been done heretofore. 



We were mu-ch gratified that a neighboring State tried, last 

 year, the plan of buying the egg lobsters, although we have not 

 learned how satisfactory they were in hatching them. We are 

 very sure many eggs were returned to the water as young, that 

 would have otherwise been destroyed. 



Hatching. 



We believe no method better than that provided by nature, and 

 if practical to i3lace the egg lobster in the water free, where they 

 would not be again captured, in no way could more be done to 

 increase the future stock. Next to this we would retain the lob- 

 sters until hatched and thereby secure a young lobster for every 

 egg. By incubation Avith any process we believe a great waste 

 occurs ; first, in stripping the eggs, then in hatching, and again, a 

 loss occurs after hatching, before they are liberated. Besides, 

 this entails considerable labor and expense. 



Preserves. 



That lobster and fish preserves may be established where most 

 of our edible fishes could be kept under nearly natural conditions, 

 and where they could be retained for long periods, and some of 

 them continuously, we verily believe. 



The advantages of such a preserve must be obvious to all. The 

 very large catches that glut the market for short periods and are 

 soon followed by a scarcity, need never occur; the bulk of the 

 large catches could be placed in the preserves and used as wanted, 

 or furnish sport for the hook and line fishermen. 



Were we not convinced of the feasibility of this method we 

 should hardly have ventured to present it here. 



