the waters of Vineyard Sound. It was logical, therefore, that the 

 new Commissioner of Fisheries would select for his initial activities 

 the New England coastal area where the fishing industry was of 

 greatest importance as a politico- economical factor. 



Woods Hole, however, was not a significant fishing center. 

 In the "Fisheries and Fishing Industry of the United States" prepared 

 and edited by Goode (1884-87) for the 1880 Census (fig. 4), the 

 fishing activity at Woods Hole is described in the following words: 

 "Of the male inhabitants only seven are regularly engaged in fishing, 

 the remainder being employed in the guano factory, in farming and 

 other minor pursuits .... There is one ship carpenter in Wood's 

 HoU, but he finds employment in his legitimate business only at long 

 intervals. Of sailmakers, riggers, caulkers, and other artisans 

 there are none. Four men are employed by Mr. Spindel, during 

 the height of the fishing season, in icing and boxing fish. The boat 

 fishery is carried on by seven men from April until September, 

 inclusive. Only three species of fish are usually taken, namely, 

 scup, tautog, and sea bass. The total catch of each fisherman is 

 about 15 barrels, or about 2400 pounds. In addition about 6,720 

 lobsters are annually taken. " 



Before selecting a location for permanent headquarters for 

 the work on fishery management and conservation, Baird undertook 

 extensive explorations of the fishing grounds off the entire New 

 England Coast. Section 2 of the Joint Resolution Number 8 of 

 Congress gave the Commissioner full authority to carry out the 

 necessary research. In part it reads as follows: "and further 

 resolved. That it shall be the duty of the said Commissioner to 

 prosecute investigations and inquiries on the subject, with the view 

 of ascertaining whether any and what diminution in the number of 

 the food-fishes of the coast and the lakes of the United States has 

 taken place; and, if so, to what causes the same is due; and also, 

 whether any and what protective, prohibitory, or precautionary 

 measures should be adopted in the premises; and to report upon 

 the same to Congress. " Section 4 of the same Resolution contains 

 an important clause which authorizes the Commissioner of Fisheries 

 "to take or cause to be taken, at all times, in the waters of the sea- 

 coast of the United States, where the tide ebbs and flows, and also 

 in the waters of the lakes, such fish or specimens thereof as many 

 in his judgement, from time to time, be needful or proper for the 

 conduct of his duties as aforesaid, any law, custom, or useage of 

 any State to the contrary notwithstanding." 



The significant words "where the tide ebbs and flows" were 

 interpreted by Baird in a very broad scientific sense which extended 

 the authority for his investigations to the offshore areas of the open 

 ocean. 



Pounds and weirs were most frequently accused by the public 

 as destructive methods of fishing responsible for the decline in the 

 abundance of food fishes along the coast. Although Baird gave very 



