70 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
You will notice in our report that the steamer made only one trip in January, two 
in February, three in March, and three in April. This was the best we were able to 
do, and, although the fish are there in abundant quantities, the difficulty in catching 
and bringing them to this market with the attending expenses made it impossible 
for us to continue the business without a heavy loss. I do not know whether the 
plan would have been a success under more favorable circumstances or not, but I 
hardly think it would, as we found it a very difficult matter to obtain the services 
of men who would remain there and fish. 
The island of Alacran is situated about 500 miles due southeast from Galveston. 
A concession to this island was granted us by the Mexican Government for five 
years, for the purpose of storing fish and ice, transferring fish, etc., in fact, for any 
purpose appertaining to the catching and handling of fish. 
I beg to inform you that fish are there in an abundant supply, and are no trouble 
to catch. I believe the Campeche Bank is the home and breeding-ground of the 
deep-sea fish of the Gulf ot Mexico, and there is no time of the year when fish can 
not be caught there, even when they have left all other banks on the coast of Texas 
and Florida. 
No doubt there is a vast unexplored field there, and enough fish could be caught 
in one year to supply the entire United States. The fish were so numerous that they 
frequently would come to the surface of the water and the sea be fairly alive with 
red snappers and groupers. At such times they will snap at anything, but in 
certain seasons they appear to become dainty and will only bite at fresh bait, Spanish 
mackerel being their favorite. 
TERRAPIN CULTURE. 
The office is in receipt of numerous inquiries concerning the feasi- 
bility and methods of terrapin culture. The increasing searcity of the 
diamond-back terrapin (Malaclemmys palustris) in most of the States 
of the Atlantic seaboard has resulted in attracting more attention to 
this valuable product than was ever before given, and the necessity for 
preserving the animal from extinction and of putting it on the market 
at a price which, while remunerative, will, nevertheless, be reasonable, 
has suggested to many people the desirability of attempting to resort 
to artificial means for maintaining the supply. The almost fabulous 
price now received for large terrapin is also a strong incentive, not only 
to fishermen, but also to people of means, to engage in the industry. 
Sixty dollars a dozen for “count” terrapins is not an unusual price in 
the past few years, and it is thought by dealers and others that in a 
short time, under present conditions of supply and demand, the price 
will advance to a much higher figure. The substitution of inferior 
kinds of terrapin has occurred, as might naturally be expected; the 
principal substitute is a fresh-water species known as the red-bellied 
terrapin or slider (Pseudemys rugosa). 
The Fish Commission has made-no direct attempts to propagate ter- 
rapin, but has, through its field agents, kept well informed concerning 
the experiments of. private individuals, and has watched with interest 
the results of their efforts. A number of correspondents in the Middle 
and South Atlantic States have established terrapin farms, but suffi- 
cient time has not yet elapsed to fully demonstrate the feasibility of 
rearing terrapins for market from the egg. 
