REPORT 



COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 



FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1905. 



Department of Commerce and Labor, 



Bureau of Fisheries, 

 Washington, December 1, 1905. 

 Sir: I have the honor to submit a report of the operations of the 

 Bureau of Fisheries during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1905. The 

 scope and progress of the work are presented in a review of the 

 respective branches — namely, the propagation and distribution of 

 food fishes, scientific investigation of subjects relating to aquatic life 

 and the development of aquatic resources, and the collection of statis- 

 tics and other information concerning the fisheries. 



PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES. 

 GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE YEAR'S WORK. 



It is gratifying to be able to record another very successful season 

 in fish-culture. While the artificial propagation of some valuable food 

 fishes was on a smaller scale than usual, the general results as gaged 

 by the output of the hatcheries were considerably greater than those 

 of any previous season. 



Marked progress has been made in the appliances and methods em- 

 ployed in several branches of the work, leading to increased efficiency. 

 larger output, and diminished expense. Some of the newly perfected 

 methods of handling ogga and fry mark a distinct epoch in American 

 fish-culture and suggest that still more important discoveries may be 

 expected. 



The popularity of the government's efforts to maintain the supply 

 of native fishes and to stock barren or depleted waters is yearly increas- 

 ing. By delivering fish at the nearest railway station free of charge 

 to applicants, and rendering assistance in various other ways, the Bu- 

 reau encourages the utilization of private and intrastate 1 waters, and 

 during the year has supplied nearly 5,000 such applicants. The great 



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