REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 11 



fishin<r jxronnds were l)locko(l off in nunihcrcd s(iuaivs on charts; 

 and two naval seaplanes, each with a Hsherman-ol)server, have been 

 traversinof the tishinjr areas and repoi'tin«r the location of schools 

 of fish. The early results have been satisfactory, as the seaplanes 

 have readily found fish and acquainted the fishermen with their loca- 

 tion and abundance, thus savin<:" much time and exjiense that would 

 ordinarily be required for ci'uisin^. 



If this experiment continues to meet with the initial success, there 

 is reason to believe that aeroplanes may take a permanent place in 

 the menhaden fishery and doubtless in other branches. Inasmuch as 

 the investment in planes and radio apparatus and the salaries of 

 observers, pilots, and radio operators mi<rht be too burdensome for 

 a sin<rle company to assmne, it may be to the advanta<re of the indus- 

 try for communities or <rroups of interests to provide for such service 

 in common. 



MISCELLANEOUS INVESTIGATIONS. 



In addition to the technological studies already mentioned, the 

 Bureau has supplied many inquirers with information and helpful 

 su^r^estions re<rardinf; technoloirical methods and processes, thereby 

 renderinfr fin important service in the upbuildino: of the industry. 

 The Bureau also has given attention to the development of methods 

 for the recoverv and reuse of salt and brine that have been employed 

 in preserving Ash ; to an examination of possibilities of certain for- 

 eign methods of freezing fish in brine ; to the methods of producing 

 pearl essence from the silvery scales of native fishes, and to tests of 

 the practicability of putting noncommercial sponges to commercial 

 use. Pearl essence or liquid nacre ("essence d'orient") which is 

 claimed to be superior t'^ the imported product, of which large quan- 

 tities are consumed in the Ignited States, is now being made from the 

 scales of river herring. The prices received by the fishermen are 

 sufficiently high to induce them to save this hitherto waste product. 



The equipment of the fishery-products laboratory in Washington 

 has served the needs not only of the Bureau's own investigators but 

 of other branches of the Government service. For example, use has 

 been made of its brine-freezing plant by representatives of the Bu- 

 reau of Plant Industry for freezing strawberries and cherries for 

 comparison with the air-frozen product, and its air-freezing plant by 

 the Bureau of Standards for the conduct of tests under various low- 

 temperature conditions. 



NEW ENCxLANl) VESSEL FISHERIES. 



Through its local agents at Boston, Gloucester, and Portland, the 

 Bureau has obtained and disseminated statistical and other informa- 

 tion regarding the great vessel fisheries centering at those ports. 

 These fisheries in 1919 were in a prosperous condition, although the 

 number of trips and catch were not so large as in the previous year. 



During the calendar year 1919 this fleet numbered 523 sail, steam, 

 and gasoline screw vessels, including 25 American and 2 Canadian 

 steam trawlers. These vessels landed at Boston 2,754 trips, aggre- 

 gating 103,391,370 pounds of fish, valued at $4,713,350; at Gloucester 

 2,965 trips, aggregating 71,370,957 pounds, valued at $2,145,592; and 



