REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. O 



ating with them. One of your commission is president of the Ameri- 

 can Fisheries Societ}'', another treasurer of that society, and another 

 corresponding member of the German Seefischereiverein. 



At the invitation of the United States Fisheries Bureau your com- 

 mission sent to St. Louis an exhibit illustrating the work on the cul- 

 ture of shell fish. The exhibit was installed with that of the United 

 States Bureau of Fisheries in the Fisheries Building. Last Septem- 

 l^er another exhil)it was prepared and shown at the Washington 

 County Fair at Kingston. These exhibits have brought the fisheries 

 work of the State to the attention of many thousand citizens. 



The constant support which your honorable body has given to this 

 commission has made it possible to conduct uninterrupted experi- 

 ments through several years. As a result, your commission has been 

 able to work out new methods of clam and lobster culture and to 

 make other contributions, to the solution of fisheries problems, of 

 value, not only to Rhode Island, but to other States and countries. 



The output of lobsters reared through the fourth stage at Wickford 

 last season was more than double that of any previous year and more 

 than ten times the total output of any other station, as far as we are 

 aware. The proportion brought through the successive moulting 

 periods to this stage was correspondingly large. 



The efforts toward the enforcement of the law regarding the cap- 

 ture of short lobsters or lobsters bearing eggs have met with at least a 

 fair degree of success Two deputies have constantly been employed, 

 several offenders have been arrested and fined, several thousand short 

 lobsters shipped alive into the State have been liberated in our 

 waters, but the main benefit of the work has been the prevention of 

 the destruction of great numbers of small lobsters and the protection 

 of honest lobster men against the shortsighted operations of those 

 who would willfully disregard the welfare of the lobster fishery. 



