REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 



A— GENERAL COKSIDEEATIOKS. 



1 — LNTEODUCTOKY REMARKS. 



In presenting an account of the operations of the United States Fish 

 Commission in 1877, it may be well to premise that while representing 

 the sixth year of its work, it constitutes the fifth report of the series, 

 that of two years having once been combined in the same report (1873-74: 

 and 1874-'75) for reasons referred to in the volume. 



As heretofore, it has been found impossible to confine the record to 

 the calendar — or even strictly to the fiscal year, it being considered de- 

 sirable to give a full, connected, and comj)lete account of the operations 

 in each branch of fish propagation from the beginning to the end. Thus, 

 while the work relating to the eastern Salmon extends from May to the 

 following February or March, that connected with the Shad is begim in 

 March or April, and generally extends only into June or July. 



In volmne IV of the series of reports will be found a running history 

 of operations up to the beginning of 1877. The present volume takes 

 uj) the thread and carries it forward in j)art into the year 1878. 



It has already been explained in previous reports that while the labors 

 of the Commission, as originally assigned by Congress in 1871, had ref- 

 erence more particularly to an inquiry into the condition of the sea-fisli- 

 eries and the influences affecting them, they were largely increased and 

 extended in 1872 by the order to include the general subject of intro- 

 ducing useful food-fishes into appropriate waters of the United States, 

 or restoring them in already depleted rivers. While the first branch 

 involves a somewhat active research during the summer season, when it 

 is most convenient and practicable, the second requires constant acti^^ity 

 throughout the year, both in the way of field-work and of extended 

 official correspondence. 



The increased appropriations by Congress have greatly increased the 

 labor and responsibility, without any increase of staff, and with the 

 exercise of the most rigid economy it is hoped that the results are be- 

 coming greater and greater in proportion to the expenditures. 



It is gratifying to observe the constantly-increasing interest in the 

 labors of the Commission, shown by the extensive correspondence in- 

 duced at home and abroad and by the hearty co-operation of the State 

 Fish Commissions in the common object, both of investigation into the 

 condition of the fisheries and in their improvement. 



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