﻿EEPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONEE 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AKD 
  FISHERIES. 
  19 
  

  

  Tlio 
  investigation 
  of 
  the 
  aquatic 
  resources 
  of 
  the 
  Hawaiian 
  Islands, 
  

   which 
  liad 
  been 
  in 
  progress 
  during 
  the 
  previous 
  fiscal 
  year, 
  was 
  con- 
  

   tinued 
  and 
  concluded; 
  and 
  in 
  conjunction 
  therewith 
  an 
  examination 
  of 
  

   the 
  fish 
  fauna 
  of 
  the 
  Samoan 
  Islands 
  was 
  undertaken. 
  

  

  The 
  marine 
  biological 
  laboratories 
  at 
  Woods 
  Hole, 
  Mass., 
  and 
  Beau- 
  

   fort, 
  N. 
  C, 
  have 
  been 
  resorted 
  to 
  by 
  many 
  investigators, 
  and 
  much 
  

   important 
  research 
  work 
  has 
  been 
  carried 
  on. 
  

  

  In 
  view 
  of 
  the 
  important 
  rank 
  attained 
  by 
  the 
  Japanese 
  in 
  fishery 
  

   matters, 
  it 
  was 
  deemed 
  advisable 
  to 
  conduct 
  an 
  inquiry 
  which 
  would 
  

   acquaint 
  the 
  Commission 
  with 
  the 
  general 
  condition 
  and 
  methods 
  of 
  

   the 
  fisheries 
  of 
  Japan 
  and 
  afford 
  information 
  in 
  regard 
  to 
  a 
  number 
  

   of 
  branches 
  in 
  which 
  Americans 
  are 
  practically 
  interested 
  and 
  in 
  which 
  

   the 
  Japanese 
  are 
  preeminent. 
  Dr. 
  H. 
  M. 
  Smith 
  was 
  assigned 
  to 
  this 
  

   inquiry, 
  which 
  was 
  in 
  progress 
  at 
  the 
  close 
  of 
  the 
  year. 
  Among 
  the 
  

   subjects 
  specially 
  considered 
  were 
  the 
  utilization 
  of 
  seaweeds, 
  the 
  

   culture 
  of 
  terrapin, 
  the 
  artificial 
  production 
  of 
  pearls, 
  and 
  the 
  habits, 
  

   food 
  value, 
  etc., 
  of 
  the 
  dwarf 
  salmon 
  with 
  a 
  view 
  to 
  its 
  introduction 
  

   into 
  the 
  United 
  States. 
  

  

  STATISTICS 
  AND 
  METHODS 
  OF 
  THE 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  The 
  importance 
  of 
  showing 
  from 
  time 
  to 
  time, 
  by 
  accurate 
  statistics, 
  

   the 
  extent 
  and 
  trend 
  of 
  the 
  fisheries 
  need 
  not 
  be 
  emphasized. 
  The 
  

   small 
  sums 
  devoted 
  to 
  this 
  work 
  in 
  the 
  Commission 
  are 
  well 
  expended 
  

   and 
  should 
  be 
  increased 
  in 
  order 
  to 
  permit 
  a 
  more 
  frequent 
  canvass 
  of 
  

   the 
  entire 
  country 
  than 
  is 
  now 
  possible. 
  During 
  the 
  3'ear 
  detailed 
  

   statistics 
  of 
  the 
  entire 
  fishing 
  industry 
  of 
  the 
  Middle 
  Atlantic, 
  South 
  

   Atlantic, 
  and 
  Gulf 
  States 
  were 
  gathered; 
  and 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  statistical 
  

   inquiries 
  addressed 
  to 
  special 
  states 
  or 
  territories 
  were 
  also 
  taken 
  

   up, 
  including 
  Colorado, 
  Alaska, 
  and 
  Porto 
  Rico. 
  The 
  collection 
  of 
  

   statistical 
  information 
  showing 
  the 
  receipts 
  of 
  fish 
  at 
  the 
  ports 
  of 
  

   Boston 
  and 
  Gloucester 
  has 
  continued, 
  and 
  the 
  monthly 
  bulletins 
  based 
  

   thereon 
  furnish 
  much 
  useful 
  information 
  to 
  the 
  trade. 
  Special 
  branches 
  

   which 
  have 
  been 
  canvassed 
  are 
  the 
  mackerel 
  fishery 
  of 
  New 
  England, 
  

   the 
  salmon 
  fishery 
  of 
  Penobscot 
  Bay 
  and 
  River, 
  and 
  the 
  salmon 
  indus- 
  

   try 
  of 
  Alaska 
  in 
  connection 
  with 
  the 
  work 
  of 
  the 
  Alaska 
  salmon 
  

   commission 
  elsewhere 
  alluded 
  to. 
  

  

  OPERATIONS 
  OF 
  VESSELS. 
  

  

  Steamer 
  Alhatross. 
  — 
  This 
  vessel 
  returned 
  to 
  San 
  Francisco 
  from 
  

   the 
  Hawaiian 
  Islands 
  on 
  August 
  30 
  having 
  been 
  absent 
  1T3 
  days, 
  

   of 
  which 
  122 
  were 
  spent 
  in 
  work 
  at 
  sea, 
  and 
  36 
  at 
  work 
  in 
  port, 
  

   the 
  remainder 
  being 
  Sundays 
  and 
  holidays. 
  Four 
  hundred 
  dredging 
  

   and 
  collecting 
  stations 
  were 
  established, 
  a 
  record 
  which 
  has 
  never 
  

   been 
  exceeded 
  by 
  the 
  Alhatross. 
  The 
  investigations 
  at 
  the 
  islands 
  

   were 
  carried 
  on 
  among 
  the 
  channels 
  and 
  on 
  surrounding 
  banks, 
  and 
  

  

  