30 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
whereby Federal agencies can cooperate, and of the limitations be- 
yond which these agencies can not go. 
The first of these conferences, attended by about 30 men promi- 
nently identified with the industry from the Atlantic and Gulf 
coasts, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi Valley, representing 
the fresh, frozen, salt, and canned fish trades, and the oyster, crab, 
shrimp, and menhaden industries, was held at the Department of 
Commerce on May 9 and 10, 1921. The conference in a formal 
expression of views emphasized the seriousness of polluted coastal 
waters as affecting the fisheries and the need for remedial legisla- 
tion; the effects of high transportation rates on the marketing of 
fish, especially of the lower-priced grades; the desirability of educa- 
tional work among all classes to improve the quality of fish marketed 
and increase the consumption of fish; and the need of closer coopera- 
tion for the protection of important migratory fish. 
The second conference, held on June 16, 1921, was called to con- 
sider measures for the prevention and control of water pollution 
and the protection of anadromous and shore fishes and other aquatic 
forms. It was attended by about 70 conferees, State fish commis- 
sioners, fish producers, and anglers from the Atlantic and Gulf 
coasts, as well as by Members of Congress and interested Federal 
departmental officials. The conference revealed a very great in- 
crease in the quantity of undesirable material dumped into our 
coastal waters in recent years, with impairment of their use for 
bathing and other recreation purposes and resultant damage to 
aquatic life, to which may be added the menace to our cities from 
fire due to oil on the water. There was indicated a general failure 
or inability of the States to cope with the many important and com- 
plex problems involved, and the demand for assistance from the 
Federal Government was practically unanimous. 
On the question of the control of migratory fishes there was a 
greater diversity of opinion, but it was the sentiment of the meeting 
that our anadromous fishes and certain shore forms require greater 
protection that may be attained through uniform State action, the 
Department of Commerce to use its best offices to the accomplish- 
ment of this end in an advisory capacity. ! 
NEW ENGLAND VESSEL FISHERIES. 
The Bureau, through its local agents, has collected detailed sta- 
tistics of the extensive vessel fisheries centering at Boston, Glou- 
cester, and Portland, which have been published in monthly and an- 
nual! bulletins. Two annual bulletins have been issued, one showing 
the catch by months, the other by fishing grounds. The number of 
trips and the catch at these ports were not so large as in the previous 
year, but there was a considerable increase in the total value of the 
products. There was a large increase in the fishery products landed 
at Boston during the year, but a decrease in the receipts at Gloucester 
and Portland. 
The fishing fleet at these ports during the calendar year 1920 num- 
bered 471 sail, steam, and gasoline-screw vessels, including 41 Ameri- 
can and 3 Canadian steam trawlers. These vessels landed at Boston 
3.342 trips, ageregating 118,558,902 pounds of fish, valued at $6,136. 
569; at Gloucester 2,381 trips, aggregating 46,740,296 pounds, valued 
