PEOGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL. INQUIRIES, 1931 463 



these, various activities at the Fisheries Biological Station, Beaufort, 

 N. C, have general application to the fisheries of that region. Inas- 

 much as this laboratory is in operation throughout the year, the 

 investigations conducted there during 1931 are discussed in a later 

 section. 



Red-snapper investigation. — In response to a request to investigate 

 an alleged shortage of red snappers in the Gulf of Mexico and to 

 offer suggestions for increasing the catch of fish in that region, 

 William C. Schroeder was detailed to Pensacola from October 13 

 to November 2. Since the work was limited to several weeks' inves- 

 tigation of the Gulf's snapper fisheries, it could not be determined 

 whether the stock of fish had suffered depletion, but it was evident 

 that the present low yield might be materially increased by greater 

 expenditure of effort on the part of the fishermen. Trawl-line gear 

 such as is used off the New England coast was tried with some 

 measure of success by using floats to keep it clear of coral, and it 

 appears probable that Gulf of Mexico fishermen could make use 

 of this gear in addition to hand lining, which at present is the only 

 method used for catching ground fish in that region. It is desirable 

 also that soundings be made in the Gulf, especially between about 

 30 and 120 fathoms and within about 150 miles of Pensacola, to 

 learn whether any new fishing grounds exist within convenient 

 distance of the local fleet. 



SHRIMP 



Since 1880 the production of shrimp has been increasing at a uni- 

 form rate, doubling itself about every 8I/2 years, until in 1930 canned 

 shrimp ranked as the fourth most valuable fishery product in the 

 United States, including Alaska. This rapid increase in the fishery 

 caused great anxiety for the future of the industry and resulted 

 in many requests for a complete study of the problem. With the 

 increased funds made available after the passage of the 5-year 

 program bill, the Bureau of Fisheries was enabled to undertake an 

 extensive investigation of the abundance and life history of the 

 shrimp. As recorded in the report of last year, Dr. F. W. Wey- 

 mouth, professor of physiology of Stanford University, Calif., was 

 chosen to supervise the investigation. 



In February, 1931, the chief of the division of inquiry, accom- 

 panied by Doctor Weymouth and Milton J. Lindner, formerly with 

 the State Fisheries Laboratory of California, visited the chief shrimp 

 ports for a brief survey of the state of the fishery. 



The initial step of the investigators was to arrange the details 

 of cooperation which had been offered by the various States in which 

 shrimping is prosecuted. As this fishery extends over more than 

 3,000 miles of coast line, it was deemed necessary to cooperate with 

 as many States as possible in order to obtain the most complete 

 information with the limited funds available. Through the fore- 

 sight of Commissioner Peter S. Twitty, Georgia had inaugurated 

 investigations earljr in September, 1930, at Brunswick, Ga., to observe 

 the fishery. 



Louisiana, the center of the shrimp industry, offered to join the 

 Bureau of Fisheries in a joint program. Commissioner Robert S. 

 Maestri appointed J. N. Gowanloch to head the staff of the newly 



