CIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Duiiug the year a x'>aper eutitled "Oysters and metbods of oyster- 

 culture" was prepared by Dr. Moore. It aims to bring- together, for 

 the information of oyster-growers, the more important facts relating 

 to the life-history of the oyster, and to furnish to those lacking experi- 

 ence the information necessary to enable them to carry on successful 

 oyster-culture. 



There have been the usual complaints of the destruction of oysters 

 in Long Island Sound by starlish, but this enemy is now less feared and 

 more successfully combated than in former years. The tangle seems 

 to be the most effective appliance used in its capture. 



In April Mr. Fred Mather sent to this office specimens of a small 

 crustacean which is said to feed upon the starfish. It is an isopod of the 

 family Cirolanidw, hitherto undescribed, and is the subject of a paper 

 to be hereafter i^ublished. 



In Long Island Sound, in various parts of 'Sew Jersey, and in some 

 other localities there has been more or less trouble with " green gills," 

 Late in the month of June a few affected oysters were observed in 

 Lynnhaven Kiver, and during the summer all of the beds were more or 

 less affected. It is notable that oysters placed in the exi)erimental 

 claire were wholly untiuged by the green coloration. After all that has 

 been written on this subject it should be unnecessary to point out the 

 vegetable origin and harmlessness of the " green gills," but there is 

 still much reluctance on the part of consumers to purchase green oys- 

 ters, great loss being thereby entailed upon the growers. 



During May, 1897, it was reported in the press that the oyster set in 

 the vicinity of New Haven was dying of a mysterious malady, but no 

 comi)laints were received at this office. It is probable that this trouble 

 was locarl and not serious, as the seed-growers in other parts of Long 

 Island Sound appear to have had a very successful season. 



The oyster season of 189G-97 is generally reported to have been 

 unsatisfactory to the dredgers of Chesapeake Bay, owing in ])nvt to 

 the depletion of the natural beds, and also, it is stated, on account of the 

 competition of planted oysters, which each year are occui)ying a more 

 important place in the markets. The conflict between the natural-bed 

 and the planting interests of Delaware Bay has resulted in legal and 

 legislative warfare in New Jersey, a contest which has been waged 

 with more or less energy for several years. The net results of such 

 disputes elsewhere has generally been to liberalize the laws relating 

 to planting, in consequence of which that branch of the industry is 

 exciting much interest. An evidence of this is seen in the increased 

 sales of seed oysters in Connecticut during the spring of 1897 and in 

 the purchase of seed in the Chesapeake region by the oystermen of 

 New Jersey and Delaware. 



During tlie spring of 1897 arrangements were made to have Prof 

 F. L. Washburn, of the University of Oregon, make a study of the bays 

 of the west coast to determine those possessing conditions favorable to 

 the introduction of the eastern oyster. At the end of the fiscal year 



