﻿REPORT 
  

  

  OF 
  THE 
  

  

  UNITED 
  STATES 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES 
  

  

  FOR 
  THE 
  

  

  FISCAL 
  YEAR 
  ENDED 
  JUNE 
  30, 
  1903. 
  

  

  The 
  operations 
  of 
  the 
  Commission 
  of 
  Fish 
  and 
  Fisheries 
  for 
  the 
  fiscal 
  

   year 
  1903 
  are 
  outlined 
  in 
  this 
  report, 
  which 
  is 
  respectfully 
  submitted 
  

   for 
  the 
  information 
  of 
  the 
  President, 
  the 
  Congress, 
  the 
  Executive 
  

   Departments, 
  and 
  the 
  public 
  at 
  large. 
  The 
  report 
  embodies 
  a 
  resume 
  

   of 
  the 
  work 
  of 
  the 
  Commission, 
  detailed 
  records 
  of 
  the 
  waters 
  stocked 
  

   with 
  food 
  fishes, 
  and 
  a 
  statement 
  of 
  the 
  appropriations 
  under 
  which 
  the 
  

   work 
  was 
  conducted, 
  together 
  with 
  an 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  general 
  condition 
  

   of 
  the 
  fisheries 
  of 
  the 
  country, 
  a 
  historical 
  outline 
  of 
  the 
  Commission's 
  

   operations 
  from 
  1871 
  to 
  1903, 
  and 
  special 
  reports 
  of 
  the 
  assistants 
  in 
  

   charge 
  of 
  the 
  difl^'erent 
  divisions 
  of 
  the 
  Commission. 
  

  

  PROPAGATION 
  AND 
  DISTRIBUTION 
  OF 
  FOOD 
  FISHES. 
  

   GENER'.L 
  RESULTS. 
  

  

  The 
  work 
  of 
  propagating 
  food 
  fishes 
  and 
  stocking 
  public 
  waters 
  

   therewith 
  during 
  the 
  fiscal 
  year 
  1903 
  was 
  probably 
  more 
  successful 
  

   than 
  in 
  any 
  previous 
  year 
  in 
  the 
  history 
  of 
  the 
  Commission. 
  More 
  

   hatcheries 
  were 
  operated 
  than 
  heretofore, 
  all 
  old 
  lines 
  of 
  work 
  were 
  

   activel}^ 
  pushed, 
  and 
  important 
  new 
  features 
  were 
  taken 
  up. 
  The 
  

   number 
  of 
  fish 
  distributed 
  was 
  somewhat 
  less 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  previous 
  

   year, 
  the 
  decrease 
  deing 
  due 
  to 
  seasonal 
  conditions 
  which 
  could 
  not 
  be 
  

   foreseen 
  or 
  obviated; 
  but 
  various 
  valuable 
  fishes, 
  whose 
  cultivation 
  

   has 
  not 
  recently 
  or 
  has 
  never 
  before 
  been 
  undertaken, 
  received 
  atten- 
  

   tion, 
  and 
  plans 
  were 
  made 
  for 
  a 
  greatly 
  increased 
  output 
  hereafter. 
  

  

  The 
  necessity 
  for 
  maintaining 
  the 
  fish 
  supply 
  in 
  public 
  and 
  private 
  

   waters 
  is 
  becoming 
  more 
  urgent 
  each 
  year, 
  and 
  the 
  applications 
  for 
  all 
  

   kinds 
  of 
  fish 
  now 
  greatly 
  exceed 
  those 
  of 
  a 
  few 
  years 
  ago, 
  taxing 
  to 
  

   the 
  utmost 
  the 
  resources 
  of 
  the 
  various 
  hatcheries. 
  In 
  order 
  to 
  keep 
  

   pace 
  with 
  the 
  increased 
  catch 
  by 
  commercial 
  fishermen 
  and 
  anglers, 
  

   the 
  establishment 
  of 
  additional 
  hatcheries 
  from 
  time 
  to 
  time 
  is 
  demanded, 
  

   and 
  larger 
  appropriations 
  are 
  required 
  to 
  operate 
  existing 
  hatcheries 
  

   to 
  their 
  full 
  capacity. 
  

  

  