530 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
lowed, but so erratic and limited is the fishery in most localities, 
due to*’legislative restriction, that few data of value can be secured. 
The major facts in the life histories of the three leading food 
fish—redfish (Sciewnops ocellatus), spotted trout (Cynoscion nebu- 
losus), and drum (Pogonias cromis)—are being ascertained. Col- 
lections of fish of all sizes, from larval stages to mature adults, have 
been made regularly over a wide range of localities and afford an 
understanding of the habits and movements, spawning age, and 
rates of growth of these valuable species. Preliminary findings 
of this study are given at greater length in another section of this 
report (p. 627). 

FOOD HABITS OF SHARKS 
Further observations on the food and reproductive habits of 
various sharks that enter into the catch of a commercial shark fishery 
at Big Pine, Fla., were made during the winter months of the past 
year. The stomachs and reproductive organs of about 1,500 sharks 
were examined carefully, with the object of ascertaining, if possible, 
the actual damage done to food fishes by these scavengers of the sea. 
Ten species of sharks were observed in the commercial catch, 
although the larger part of this catch comprised only five species. 
The food habits of the various species differed somewhat, but the 
amount of food fish eaten by all species was found to be very small. 
Refuse, crustaceans, and nonfood fish seemed to make up the bulk of 
the food. However, the. fact that most: sharks do much dam- 
age to commercial fishing gear probably warrants their unlimited 
utilization. 
FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST 
The bureau’s salmon investigations on the Pacific coast are con- 
ducted as an integral part of the program of the International Pacific 
Salmon Investigation Federation, and hence are closely coordinated 
with work undertaken by Canada and the Pacific Coast States. The 
activities of this federation, therefore, are of direct interest to the 
readers of this report. 
The third meeting of the executive committee of the International 
Pacific Salmon Investigation Federation was held in Seattle on 
December 2, 1926. At this meeting a program committee, consisting 
of Dr. W. H. Rich, chairman, Dr. C. H. Gilbert, Dr. W. A. Clemens, 
of the Biological Board of Canada, and Prof. J. O. Snyder, repre- 
senting the California Fish and Game Commission, presented a 
research program that was adopted unanimously by the executive 
committee. This program is presented in full elsewhere in this 
report (p. 635). 
After the presentation of this program, the various items were 
taken up separately and discussed in detail. A committee was 
appointed to consider the improvement of the statistics of the salmon 
fisheries and consisted of Dr. W. A. Clemens, chairman, N. B. Sco- 
field, of the California Fish and Game Commission, and Dr. W. H. 
Rich. Another committee was appointed to consider the matter of 
adequate fishways over high dams. The members of this committee 
are N. B. Scofield, chairman, C. R. Pollock, supervisor of fisheries 
for the State of Washington, and Maj. J. A. Motherwell, chief inspec- 
