X REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



5. — CONCURRENT ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES SIGNAL-SERVICE. 



So far the only nations that have undertaken investigations into 

 the fish and fisheries of their coasts in a thoroughly scientific manner 

 are Norway, Germany, and the United States; and it is with much 

 satisfaction that we can claim at least an equal degree of complete- 

 ness, in the inquiry, to the others. While no permanent stations have 

 been established on the coast directly under the authority of the 

 United States Fish Commission, the hearty co-operation of General 

 Myer, the Chief Signal-Officer, has rendered this unnecessary. Meteor- 

 ological observations are, of course, made regularly at all the signal-sta- 

 tions along the coast and on the lakes, and in addition to these the Chief 

 Signal-Officer has directed that a daily record be made of the tempera- 

 ture of the water at the surface and at the bottom, and that copies be 

 sent to the Fish Commission. The examination of these records has 

 already developed many interesting facts, and promise iniportant gen- 

 eralizations of direct practical application to the fisheries. 



It is well known that in Europe the fisheries are under the immediate 

 control of the authorities, and that in Norway, especially, such is the 

 attention given to the fullest development of this interest, that the 

 government causes information to be furnished by telegraph of the 

 approach of the herring and cod to the shores, and in regard to their 

 subsequent movements, by this means enabling the entire fishing-fleet 

 at a given j^oint at once to take advantage of the facts, instead of de- 

 pending upon casual information, which is frequently incorrect, more- 

 over the facts are frequently willfully suppressed by parties who desire 

 to enjoy a monopoly. 



General Myer, the chief Signal-Officer of the Army, in charge of the 

 Government system of weather telegraph^', desirous of rendering his 

 department serviceable in the highest degree to the interests of the 

 country, in a letter dated November 21, 1872, invited suggestions in 

 regard to the utilization of the system of telegraphic signals for the 

 benefit of the fisheries. It gave me pleasure to call his attention to the 

 I)oiuts just referred to in connection with the Norwegian government, 

 and to suggest that much might be done by instructing the signal- 

 officers to keep watch of the facts in regard to the occurrence of herring,, 

 mackerel, cod, and other coast-fishes off the shores, and to cause these 

 facts to be promptly communicated to the newspapers. 



I also urgently advised the establishment of a signal-station at East- 

 port, in Maine, as being the center of the United States herring fisheries, 

 and a place where the information which could be furnished by such a 

 station would be of the utmost value. This includes not only the an- 

 nouncement as to impending changes of the weather generally, such as 

 any seaman would desire to be made acquainted with for the purpose of 

 determining his movements, but has especial reference to the trade in. 

 frozen herring. During the winter- season, herring of the finest quality 

 are captured in Passamaquoddy Bay and adjacent portions of the coast, 



