62 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



the lobster is sufficiently productive to offset its natural enemies,, 

 it is not able, unassisted, to provide for the ravages of man. 



Therefore, some artificial means must be provided, and in order 

 to do this the egg lobsters must be retained. By artificial propaga- 

 tion our Wickford Station has been able to very greatly assist nature- 

 a low estimate would place the results of the work at 400 to 700 times 

 the natural method. At present our Station is unable to extend 

 this method to all the egg lobsters caught in Rhode Island waters, 

 but the plant is being rapidly although cautiously extended, and in 

 the future your Commission will be able to rear lobsters on a much 

 more extensive scale. However, it will be seen from the reasons 

 given above that were it unable to do more than buy the egg lobsters 

 and then liberate them at the end of the season that would still be 

 sufficient cause for purchasing them. Because by so doing the 

 incentive for illegally brushing the eggs from the lobster is removed. 



At the January session, 1910, a law was passed which directed 

 the Commission to purchase all egg lobsters. Your Commission 

 believes that the principle underlying this law is correct. However, 

 a glance at the tables giving the results of handling the green egg 

 lobsters (page 56) will show that much more efficiency could be 

 obtained by leaving the matter of handling and disposal of them 

 entirely at the judgment of your Commission. The manner in which 

 the egg lobsters should be obtained will vary greatly according to the 

 distance from the hatchery, local facilities for shipping, and, what is 

 of still greater importance, according to the condition of the eggs at 

 that time of year. Furthermore, giving the fishermen the privilege 

 of selling these lobsters to the Commission and, at the same time, in 

 many cases locating the receiving places at such a distance that it is 

 impracticable to get the lobsters there, instead of removing the incen- 

 tive to brushing the eggs, an additional incentive and opportunity is 

 thus given. 



Your Commission therefore recommends that it be empowered to 

 grant to all licensed men who shall apply therefor permits to retain egg 

 lobsters. These permits shall state how the egg lobsters shall be held 



