16 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



III. The Location of Fish-Traps within the Waters of Nar- 



RAGANSETT BaY, AND THE COLLECTION OF STATISTICAL 



Data Bearing upon their Ownership. 



With the publication of the report for 1898, the State first came 

 into possession of definite data respecting the location and owner- 

 ship of the numerous fish-traps within the Bay and immediately 

 outside, between Sakonnet and Point Judith. 



The traps in the Bay are exceedingly numerous for so small a body 

 of water, and it has often been claimed in past years that the too 

 abundant fish-traps would be self-destructive. However this may 

 be, the following table, constructed from the data in possession of 

 the commission, shows that not only has the total number of fish- 

 traps set in the Bay increased remarkably during the past six years, 

 but their increase is seen in every part of the Bay. In certain por- 

 tions, however, they have increased much more than others. Espe- 

 cially noticeable is this in the Sakonnet river section, where extensive 

 scup fishing is carried on. Here often as many as four and five 

 traps are strung along a single line of leaders, and frequently these 

 "stub" traps are supplemented ^dth an anchor trap in the middle 

 of the river. 



Table Showing Nurnber and General Distribution of Fish-Traps. 



A detailed list of the traps is here submitted, together with the 

 location. For further details of location, refer to accompanying 

 chart. 



