626 U. S. BUKRAU OP^ FISHERIES 



The stored glycogen seems adequate, however, in the case of 

 health}'^ mussels to carry them through several months of starvation. 

 When fed, the glycogen content of the mussels rises rapidly to the 

 former level. It does seem feasible from these experiments to hold 

 mussels in water containing little mussel food and to select breeding 

 stock from the best animals surviving. Application of these findings 

 are to be tested on a large scale through the coming season. 



APPKOPRIATIONS 



It often has been said that the financial support provided by Con- 

 gress for the scientific work of the bureau may be taken as a measure 

 of public approval of the results of the research program. If such 

 be the case, we may view with considerable satisfaction the record of 

 appropriation during the past few years. Up to the period of 

 recovery from the World War, Federal appropriations for scientific 

 research by the bureau increased at a fairly constant rate, along with 

 the general development of the country and the expanding functions 

 of government. From 1918 to 1924 followed a period of retrench- 

 ment in appropriations, but from that year until the present, scien- 

 tific inquiry's funds have shown a steady increase. Funds expended 

 by the division of scientific inquiry for fishery research in the United 

 States, given in round numbers, for the various years are as follows : 

 For 1924, $91,000; 1925, $118,000; 1926, $129,000; 1927, $144,000; 



1928, $175,000; 1929, $198,000; 1930, $198,000; and 1931, $262,000. 

 These figures represent the combined appropriations from various 

 accounts, except funds spent for vessel operations in connection with 

 scientific work. In addition to the totals shown, in the fiscal year 



1929, $20,000, and in 1931, $179,000, were appropriated for building 

 improvements at the biological laboratories or for the erection of 

 new ones. 



For the fiscal year 1931 these funds Avere allotted in the various 

 sections of the country as follows : For fishery investigations in the 

 Atlantic and Gulf coast areas, 30 per cent ; for the Great Lakes and 

 interior lakes, 9 per cent; for the Pacific coast, 16 per cent; for in- 

 vestigations in the interest of fish culture throughout the country, 

 17 per cent; for shellfish investigations, including oyster-cultural 

 studies, mussel propagation and pollution studies, and shrimp in- 

 vestigations, 19 per cent; for studies on the conservation of fish by 

 means of screens and ladders, 9 per cent. With authorization for 

 continued increases in appropriations for scientific work provided by 

 the act of May 21, 1930, it is anticipated that the orderly program 

 of investigation designed to make more effective the conservation 

 of our marine and inland fisheries will be carried out, and that atten- 

 tion can be given to other sections of the country and to fisheries that 

 are at present neglected. The only weakness of this program of 

 expansion lies in the failure to provide for increased vessels' opera- 

 tions as was mentioned above. On the Atlantic coast ])articularly 

 fishery investigations are ham2)ered by lack of adequate vessel facil- 

 ities, and it is hoped that the early rectifying of this lack will per- 

 mit the complete realization of a well-rounded program of fishery 

 investigation. 



o 



