18 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



inferred from this year's catch that the fish in Rhode Island waters 

 have been all caught up, or that they have suddenly and permanently 

 changed their feeding grounds. It is more probable that certain 

 conditions, temporarily operative this year, greatly decreased the 

 catch. What these conditions were can not be definitely stated, as 

 at present our knowledge of the causes of the migration and " runs " 

 of fish are veiy meagre. However, the following factors have un- 

 doubtedly been to a certain extent responsible. The cold and stormy 

 spring, the presence in the bay of quantities of small bait, the con- 

 tinued extension of the oyster beds (which, without doubt, greatly 

 interfere with the natural feeding and spawning grounds) and the 

 continual catching and destroying of the spawn fish. Certain of 

 these factors have been operative for a number of years, and are 

 therefore, not exclusively responsible for this sudden falling off in 

 fish. But it may be said that their continual operation is just 

 beginning to be noticeable, and this past season, working in conjunc- 

 tion with some unknown factors, they have brought about a revela- 

 tion of what may be in the future a permanent condition if these 

 causes, now at work depleting our fisheries, are not properly regulated. 



The following tables of the shipment of sea products from Newport 

 are submitted as heretofore: 



