172 REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OP PISH AND FISHERIES. 



the northern part of Labrador conld not be tested, and the vessel sailed 

 for the west coast of Greenland, which was safely reached after the 

 experience of much difficulty in crossing Davis Strait. On the shore 

 of Greenland a comparatively good fishing season was passed, and the 

 vessel returned to Gloucester on October 5 with about 80,000 pounds 

 of fletched halibut, 21 barrels of fins, and 11 barrels of salmon and 

 salmon trout. The captain of the vessel thinks this region offers advan- 

 tages for profitable fisheries, and intends to resume his explorations of 

 the coast of Greenland and the region north of Hudson Strait. 



BOSTON FISH BUREAU. 



This is an association of persons engaged in the fish trade, chiefly in 

 Boston, Gloucester, and New York. In its aims and organization it 

 occupies a unique position in the United States fishing industry. It is 

 primarily intended to furnish its members with reliable, prompt, and 

 private information regarding the catch, the receipts, and the general 

 condition of the fish trade, but the entire fishery interests of the section 

 are indirectly benefited, and it is, in fact, a fisheries intelligence bureau. 

 The Commission has for many years received the confidential daily 

 reports of the bureau. These contain much valuable information as to 

 the movements of the fishing fleet, the abundance of fish, the condi- 

 tion of the different branches of the industry, the state of the markets, 

 prices of fish, etc., and are very useful to the division. The annual 

 reports of the bureau, compiled by the secretary, Mr. Frederick F. 

 Dimick, while applying primarily to the New England vessel fisheries, 

 also contain much information on important fisheries of other sections 

 of the United States, as well as of foreign countries. The statistical 

 and descriptive data with which these reports are filled make them 

 extremely valuable for reference. 



PROPOSED WORK OF THE DIVISION. 

 FISHERIES OF THE MINOR INTERIOR WATERS. 



The investigation of the fresh- water fisheries of the rivers and lakes 

 of the iuterior States, recommended in a previous report of the division, 

 can probably be undertaken during the next fiscal year. The recent 

 completion of statistical inquiries in all the coastal sections and in the 

 basin of the Great Lakes makes the canvass of these minor waters 

 opportune and desirable. It is anticipated that the extent of these 

 fisheries will in the aggregate be enormous, and that some very inter- 

 esting methods and apparatus will be found, of which little is now 

 known outside of circumscribed limits. It will be the purpose of the 

 division to pursue these inquiries as means and time will permit, until 

 the fresh-water fisheries of each State and Territory shall have been 

 covered. The small force of agents available for the field work will 

 hardly be able to canvass the entire country in less than two seasons. 



