REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 175 



Up to the time of tliis investigation detinite information ^yas lacking 

 as to tlie results which had attended tlie attempted acclimatization of 

 shad and striped bass in the waters of the I'acifie States, although it 

 had been known for some years that the plants had been successful and 

 that more or less mature lish had been taken at various x)hxces on the 

 coast. It was found that the shad have beconui distributed along the 

 entire coast north of Monterey Bay, California, and occur in special 

 abundance in the Sacramento River. Notwithstanding the fact that 

 the fishermen have i)rovided themselves with no a|)paratus especially 

 adapted to the ca})ture of shad, 101,071 pounds were taken in 1888 

 and 170,500 pounds in 1889. The quantity caught aifords no idea of 

 the abundance of the fish, and it is thought that the use of suitable 

 api)aratus will demonstrate the existence of large bodies of these 

 fish in all the coast waters between southern California and Paget 

 Sound. The striped bass, although introduced some years before the 

 shad, are apparently less abundant and less widely distributed than 

 the latter. They are chietly found in San Francisco Bay, where exam- 

 ples weighing as much as 40 i)ounds have been taken, although the 

 average weight is only 8 or 10 pounds. In 1888 only about 1,000 pounds 

 reached the San Francisco market, but in 1889 Mr. Alexander reported 

 that at one period they became so plentiful that the price, which had been 

 $1 a pound in 1888, fell to 18 cents. There is every reason to believe that 

 in a short time this si)ecies will take a prominent place among the com- 

 mercial fishes of the west coast. 



NEW ENGLAND COAST. 



Early in the fiscal year 1890 the entire field Ibrce was placed in the 

 New England States and a very comi)rehensive canvass of that region 

 was inaugurated. The field inqidries in Maine were made by Messrs. 

 H. M. Smith, W. n. Abbott, Ansley Hall, and C. II. Stevenson ; in 

 New Hamjishire by Mr. Stevenson; in Massachusetts by Messrs. W. A. 

 Wilcox, W. II. Abbott, E. E. Eace, 0. H. Stevenson, and Ansley Hall; 

 in lihode Island by Mr. Hall, and in Connecticut by Mr. Stevenson. 

 At Boston and Gloucester, respectively, the local agents of the office, 

 Mr. F. F. Dimick and Capt, S. J. Martin, aided in the work, and in the 

 vicinity of Gloucester Mr. E. F. Locke, of the Division of Fish-Culture, 

 rendered efficient service at times Avhen his regular duties did not 

 re«pure his attention. No investigation of the entire fishing industry 

 of this region had been undertaken since 1879-80. It was well known 

 that marked changes had occurred in the methods, extent, and charac- 

 ter of certain fisheries in the various States; and in view of the general 

 prominence of the New England fisheries and the important interna- 

 tional questions arising in connection therewith, it was deemed advisa- 

 ble to have full and accurate data thereon. 



The inquiry placed the office in ])Ossession of complete statistical and 

 other information concerning the ocean, shore, and river fisheries for 



