EEPOKT OF TIEE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES V 



sYork the bureau is liaiulicapped uot a little l)y the difficultly of 

 obtaining men properly trained and interested in fishery research. 

 Moreover, such investigations as these require a greater expenditure 

 of funds than do many other types of fishery investigation, an ex- 

 penditure which is, however, fully justified i)y the practical im- 

 portance of tlie information securetl. In spite of clifHculties an 

 efi'ort is being made to take up suih studies Aviierever possible, and 

 it is lioped that this development of our scientific investigations may 

 receive the more ade(|uate hnancial support which its importance 

 warrants. 



During the past year a large measure of the efforts of the division 

 of scientific inquiry has been devoted to researches of this nature. 

 Other investigations bearing on special problems of the fisheries and 

 for the purpose of improving fish-cultural methods have been car- 

 ried on. Following is a brief outline of tlie results obtained from 

 these efforts. 



ATLANTIC COAST FISHEKIES 



The study of the life histories of the important food fishes of the 

 North Atlantic, such as the cod, pollock, and haddock, which was 

 begun in April, ll)2o, has been continued. Seven cruises were made 

 by the United States Bureau of Fisheries steamer Halcyon to the 

 fishing grounds off' the coast of ]Massachusetts for the purpose of 

 tagging fish. This work was undertaken in order to discover the 

 facts as to the migrations of these important food fishes. Over 

 10,000 fish were tagged, the greater number on Xantucket Shoals, 

 some near Xo Man's Land, some off' Chatham, and others in Massa- 

 chusetts Bay. Two hundred and eighteen tags had been returned 

 at the close of the fiscal year, and the results have proved of con- 

 siderable value and interest. It has been shown that many of the 

 cod found during tlie summer on Nantucket Shoals remain there 

 until late in the fall; then a definite migration takes place to the 

 southward and westward to points between Rhode Island and New 

 Jei*sey, and probably still farther south. During the spring the 

 reverse migration occurs, and the fish return to Nantucket Shoals. 

 There is no evidence to indicate that the fish on their return go to 

 other banks than those on which they were tagged, but later returns 

 may not support this tentative conclusion. 



In connection with this study of the migration of the cod, pollock, 

 and haddock, extensive scale collections have been made. The 

 scales are being examined carefully and important data bearing on 

 the age and rate of growth secured. Scale studies have been used 

 extensively and with great success in determining the age and rate 

 of grov.th of many fishes, in this country notably the salmon, and 

 it is believed that the application of this method to the study of cod 

 and similar fishes of the New England coast will provide informa- 

 tion of the greatest value. 



Such investigations as these provide information relative to the 

 biology of the adult fish only. However, the abundance of fish de- 

 pends not alone upon the survival of the adults, but perhaps to an 

 even greater extent upon the survival of the eggs and young fish 

 before they have assumed the adult characteristics and habits. Dur- 

 ing the year the investigation of the larval fishes of the Woods Hole 



