REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 83 



movements and interfere with its feeding- and moulting. As we 

 mentioned in the report for 1900, they are less troublesome when 

 the lobsters are constantly stirred. At Woods Holl they are a 

 more serious menace to the fry than at Wickford. The whole in- 

 vestigation of the character, time, and cause of their appearance 

 etc., has been undertaken by Professor F. P. Gorham, who will 

 soon make his report to the U S. Fish Commission. Thus far we 

 have endeavored to counteract the effect of these pests by keep- 

 ing the bags as clean as possible with frequent washing in fresh 

 water and by regulating the light which falls upon the bags. The 

 principle of the latter procedure is that the movements of these 

 microscopic organisms, as well as those of larger animals, like the 

 fry themselves, are affected by the direction and intensity of the 

 light. The development of adequate methods of preventing 

 these parasites from gaining access to the lobsters is one of the, 

 many problems which must be solved. 



The Efforts of the Commission to Prevent the Illegal 

 Taking of Short Lobsters. 



At the January session of the General Assembly, 1901, your 

 honorable body passed the following act : 



AN ACT FOR THE BETTER PROTECTION OF THE LOBSTER 



FISHERIES. 



It is enacted by the General Assembly asfollows : 



Section 1. Every person who catches, takes, or has in his possession 

 any lobster less than nine inches in length, measuring from one extreme 

 of the body to the other, exclusive of claws and feelers, or any female lob- 

 ster bearing eggs or from which the eggs have been brushed, shall forfeit 

 for every such lobster five dollars, one-half thereof to the use of the com- 

 plainant and one-half thereof to the use of the state ; but a person catch- 

 ing or taking any such lobster and immediately returning the same alive 

 to the water from which taken shall not be subject to such penalty. 



Sec. 2. All lobster pots, cars, and other contrivances used for the 

 catching or keeping of lobsters shall be plainly marked with the name or 



