328 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
what has been done in this direction being confined to the restocking of inland 
waters with choice species, where the conditions of the industry are perhaps 
enjoying the advantages of greater attention. This is not surprising considering 
the fact, almost general even in the most progressive fishing countries, that 
fishing on inland waters is much easier and not fraught with the uncertainty and 
perils of the sea, and is therefore assuming every day more of a cultural character, 
the pisciculturist cultivating the water as the agriculturist cultivates the soil 
for the feeding of man. 
But, returning to maritime fishing, the main reason why Italy does not 
make a better showing in its results from an economic standpoint is the 
primitive methods by which fishing is still carried on, entirely by small sailing 
craft, which in other countries have been largely supplanted by motor power 
to propel the boat and operate the nets. Then, the absence of proper organi- 
zation and intelligent cooperation, which are necessary factors to secure a prompt 
and wide distribution of such a perishable article as fish, is another cause. 
Steamboats to carry the catch promptly to distributing ports; good landing 
facilities and a quick and well organized railroad service to expedite the delivery 
of the fish to the markets in the shortest possible time; an intelligent application 
of the use of ice and refrigerating plants in the transportation, preservation, and 
distribution of this perishable commodity; cooperative action among fishermen 
in order to secure to themselves the highest percentage of the profit deriving 
from their labor; credit within easy reach and at a moderate rate of interest 
to fishermen; elimination of octroi duties and the fiscal dues which at present 
handicap this industry—these are some of the essentials for rehabilitating its 
destinies. 
Besides maritime fishing, Italy is greatly interested in inland water fishing, 
its numerous rivers, lakes, and lagoons suitable for this purpose occupying practi- 
cally one-eighteenth of the surface of the Kingdom. Filippo de Filippi, a 
noted Lombardian zoologist, who was the pioneer of fish culture in Italy, stated 
that if there is a country favorably laid out by nature for the development 
of inland fisheries it is certainly the Valley of the Po. 
Notwithstanding the inherent love of the Italian gentleman for angling, 
evidenced by the fact that there is no villa of any importance in Italy not pro- 
vided with a ‘‘pescheria”’ where fish are raised, not for sale but for the private 
use of the owner who can exclaim with Carew— 
Thus mean in state and calm in sprite 
My fishful pond is my delight— 
fishing in fresh water is probably in not much better condition than the maritime 
industry, and the value of the annual output of inland fisheries in Italy does 
not exceed 6,000,000 lire. 
We have no special statistics to show what is the value of the fish taken 
from lagoons or estuaries, where fishing is an art that has engaged the attention 
