442 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHEEIES 



INTRODUCTION 



Fisheries biological research by the bureau's division of inquiry 

 respecting food fishes was conducted during the year 1931 under 

 ideal conditions. Not only were funds provided in adequate measure 

 to meet the ordinary needs of the existing organization, but the ef- 

 fects of the economic depression had not yet seriously interfered 

 with the law of supply and demand regulating fishing activities, nor 

 during the early part of the year had it greatly increased the strain 

 upon the fishes of interior waters. Under such circumstances a large 

 staff, functioning with high efficiency, succeeded in collecting great 

 numbers of field observations, which by the end of the year were rap- 

 idly being analyzed as a basis for a number of technical reports. All 

 of the major projects under way during 1930 were continued, many 

 of the minor ones were completed, and two entirely new projects of 

 considerable importance were undertaken. 



The chief functions of the Bureau of Fisheries are concerned 

 with the conservation of our aquatic resources, yet its operations are 

 different from those of other similar governmental units. Virtually 

 all of the State governments maintain fishery boards, fish and game 

 departments, or conservation commissions, all of which give direct 

 attention to the problems of conservation through regulation of the 

 fisheries by rule or by the enforcement of laws enacted by the State 

 legislatures. Their functions are chiefly administrative, although 

 a few States engage in research as a basis for their regulatory activi- 

 ties. Foreign Governments likewise maintain fishery departments 

 that correspond to our State commissions in their regulatory and 

 administrative functions. 



Federal activities in fishery conservation in the United States, how- 

 ever, are of the positive kind, looking toward the development and 

 complete utilization of aquatic resources by means of scientific re- 

 search and practical fish culture, rather than by negative or restric- 

 tive activities such as are involved in the enforcement of regulatory 

 legislation. Except in the Territory of Alaska, the Bureau of Fish- 

 eries is without power to regulate fishing, for under the Federal form 

 of government Congress enjoys only such powers as are delegated 

 by the Constitution, and complete jurisdiction of the fisheries has 

 remained in the hands of the individual States. The Bureau of 

 Fisheries is, therefore, essentially a scientific organization; and its 

 findings, presented to the States in the form of technical reports and 

 direct recommendations, become effective only by enactment of the 

 State legislatures. Such recommendations, however, based upon ade- 

 quate scientific studies and coming from a disinterested and impartial 

 source, are cordially accepted by the States and have great influence 

 in shaping conservation policies insuring the perpetuation of our 

 aquatic resources. 



Eesearch activities in the biological sciences are conducted by the 

 technical staff of the division, numbering some 50 permanent research 

 positions, with a score of less trained assistants and perhaps another 

 score of temporary specialists, chiefly from university faculties, who 

 are employed for limited periods of time. These investigators are 

 distributed over the entire country in small groups organized into 

 comj)act research units, which maintain headquarters either at the 



