REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 199 



ANALYSIS OP REPORTS ISSUED. 



While the uiimbcr of reports prepared by the division and printed 

 during the years covered by this report was not hirge, several of them 

 were very extensive and were important contributions to the subjects 

 considered. Several other pai)ers dealing with the commercial fish- 

 eries were prepared and su])niitted for printing in this period, but they 

 were not issued until after the close of the period under consideration. 

 The reports printed were as follows : 



1. The beam-trawl fishery of Great Britain, with notes ou beam-trawling in 



other European countries. (Bulletin U. S. Fish Commission, vii, pp. 289-407, 

 23 plates, 34 test figures.) 



This report deals with the most important vessel fishery of Great 

 Britain. Special chapters treat of the history and importance of the 

 fishery, the fishing-grounds, the fishermen, the vessels, the apparatus, 

 the methods of fishing, marketing of the catch, the effects of the fish- 

 ery on the abundance of fish, beam trawling on the continent of Europe, 

 attemi^ts to use the trawl in the United States, and the possibility of 

 its successful employment in this country. Some idea may be gained 

 of the extent of this fishery when it is stated that about 20,000 persons 

 find exclusive employment therein, and that the annual production is 

 about 450,000,000 pounds, having a value of over -$13,000,000, a sum 

 that represents more than one-third the value of the entire coast and 

 inland fisheries of the United States. 



2. Suggestions for the employment of improved types of vessels in the market 



fisheries, with notes ou British fishing steamers. (Bulletin U. S. Fish 

 Commission, viii, pp. 175-192, 10 plates.) 



The recent improvements in the methods of preserving fish in a 

 fresh condition, and in shipping them to distant i)oints, have demon- 

 strated the necessity for securing the more rapid landing of the fish 

 after being caught, in order that they may reach the consumer in the 

 best possible state of preservation. The greatest amount of deteriora- 

 tion eusues between the taking and the landing of the fish, and it is 

 the reduction to a minimum of this impairment in quality which is 

 demanded by the present conditions of the fresh-fish trade. To secure 

 this result, an improvement in the form of the fishing vessels is the 

 principal consideration, and in this report the special types of vessels 

 adapted to different fisheries and to particular regions are indicated, 

 described, and figured. Speed and seaworthiness are the main lines 

 along which advances may be made in the building of fishing vessels; 

 the possession of these factors will not only secure the landing of an 

 im])roved quality of fish and the economy of time, but will also per- 

 mit vessels to visit the more distant and less frequented grounds and 

 thus perhaps add to the amount of the catch. The specially important 

 subjects considered in the paper are the desirability of employing 

 steamers in the market fishery of Kew England; the urgent need of 



