REPORT. 



To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island 

 and Providence Plantations, at its January Session, 1906: 



The Commissioners of Inland Fisheries herewith present their 

 annual report for the year 1905: 



As heretofore, the policy of your Commission has been to purchase 

 such yearling trout and black bass as were required to stock favorable 

 waters in the state. The beneficial results of such stocking of suitable 

 streams and ponds is unquestioned. Without this annual restocking 

 it would be but a matter of time before these valuable fish would 

 disappear from our waters. Anglers throughout the state have 

 become interested in the efforts of your Commission, and have given 

 their co-operation in maintaining the close season and in the pre- 

 vention of illegal fishing. Without their co-operation much of the 

 restocking would be in vain, as it is obviously impossible for your 

 Commissioners to maintain any suitable patrol of the widely scattered 

 fishing-waters. 



Several times the question has arisen as to whether it would be 

 practicable and feasible for the Commission to establish a hatchery 

 within the state for the purpose of providing fry and yearlings to 

 be used in stocking the waters of the state. This method is followed 

 by many other states with considerable success. It must be re- 

 membered, however, that most other states have larger areas to 

 restock, requiring many more fish, and that their fishery interests 

 are many times more important than our own. There seems to be 

 no doubt, as it is evidenced by reports from fishermen in all parts of 

 the state, that we are securing excellent results by the method now 



