XLII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



B.— INQUIRY INTO THE HISTORY AND STATISTICS OP 



FOOD-FISHES. 



Having thus passed under review the most important features of the 

 general work of the Commission during the year 1882, 1 now proceed to 

 present more definitely the operations connected with the so-called 

 "Inquiry Division" of the subject, embracing all that relates to the 

 investigation into tbe actual condition of tbo inhabitants of the waters 

 and their mutual relationships, as well as to the statistics of their abund- 

 ance and capture, and the methods and apparatus by which they are, 

 or may be, rendered subservient to the requirements of man. 



The other branch of this work of the Commission relates to the in- 

 crease of the supply of food-fishes generally, or in particular localities, 

 by means of artificial propagation or by transplantation. 



The investigations connected with the first branch of inquiry may be 

 considered under several heads to be taken up in their order. 



12. — THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATION OF THE IVIENHADEN 



FISHERIES. 



The many complaints, by citizens of New Jersey, of the destruction of 

 the menhaden by purse and pound nets involving an inability of the fish- 

 ermen to secure sufficient bait for line fishing, as also the assertion that 

 large numbers of valuable food-fishes were destroyed by these agencies, 

 induced the reference of the several memorials and petitions to a sub- 

 committee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations ; this reference 

 having been made on the ground that any legislation in regard to the 

 inshore fisheries would necessarily have a very definite relationship to 

 the provisions of the fisheries clause of the WavShington treaty which 

 went into eifect in 1873. 



The subcommittee named consisted of Mr. Lapham as chairman, with 

 Messrs. Ednmnds, Miller of California, Morgan, and Windom as mem- 

 bers.* 



The United States Fish Commission was instructed to render to this 

 subcommittee any assistance in its power. 



*The following aro the Senate resolutions under which action has been taken : 



" Rcmlvi'd, Tiiat five members of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 

 Id designated by the chairman of said committee as a eubcommittce to act in con- 

 junction with the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries to examine into the subject of 

 the protection to bo given by law to the lish and fisheries of the Atlantic Coast, as 

 proposed in the bill (S. No. 1823) for the protection of fish and fisheries on the Atlan- 

 tic Coast. 



"Ecsolved, That said committee have power to send for persons and papers in regard 

 to the before-mentioned inquiries, and that it have leave to sit during the recess of 

 the Senate. 



"Resolved, That the expenses incurred in the execution of the foregoing resolutions 

 be paid on the certificate of the chairman of said subcommittee out of the appropria- 

 for the contingent expenses of the Senate." 



