﻿REPORT 
  

  

  OF 
  THE 
  

  

  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  Department 
  of 
  Commerce, 
  

  

  Bureau 
  of 
  Fisheries, 
  

  

  WasJiington, 
  October 
  12, 
  1914- 
  

   Sm: 
  There 
  is 
  submitted 
  herewith 
  a 
  report 
  giving 
  an 
  outline 
  review 
  

   of 
  the 
  operations 
  of 
  the 
  Bureau 
  of 
  Fisheries 
  during 
  the 
  fiscal 
  year 
  

   ended 
  June 
  30, 
  1914. 
  

  

  THE 
  FISHING 
  INDUSTRY. 
  

   GENERAL 
  CONDITION 
  OF 
  THE 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  The 
  general 
  condition 
  of 
  the 
  fishing 
  industry 
  of 
  the 
  United 
  States 
  

   at 
  the 
  present 
  time 
  is 
  satisfactory. 
  Each 
  year 
  shows 
  an 
  increased 
  

   aggregate 
  output 
  with 
  increased 
  income 
  to 
  the 
  fishermen, 
  dependent 
  

   on 
  various 
  factors. 
  Among 
  the 
  influences 
  tending 
  to 
  produce 
  an 
  

   augmented 
  catch 
  are 
  (1) 
  natural 
  expansion 
  of 
  fishing 
  operations 
  in 
  

   fields 
  where 
  the 
  hmit 
  of 
  productivity 
  has 
  rrot 
  been 
  reached, 
  (2) 
  ex- 
  

   ploitation 
  of 
  new 
  or 
  little-resorted-to 
  grounds, 
  (3) 
  utilization 
  of 
  

   aquatic 
  resources 
  formeily 
  neglected 
  or 
  little 
  used, 
  and 
  (4) 
  actual 
  

   increase 
  in 
  abundance 
  of 
  products 
  owing 
  to 
  artificial 
  propagation, 
  

   protective 
  measures, 
  or 
  natural 
  causes. 
  

  

  Certain 
  branches, 
  however, 
  which 
  have 
  long 
  exhibited 
  a 
  downward 
  

   trend 
  continue 
  in 
  the 
  same 
  condition; 
  others 
  are 
  showing 
  a 
  sharp 
  

   decline 
  of 
  comparatively 
  recent 
  origin; 
  and 
  still 
  others 
  are 
  affected 
  

   by 
  a 
  purely 
  temporary 
  or 
  seasonal 
  scarcity 
  of 
  supply. 
  In 
  the 
  case 
  of 
  

   some 
  species, 
  a 
  markedly 
  diminished 
  catch 
  is 
  attended 
  by 
  an 
  actual 
  

   increase 
  in 
  the 
  income 
  of 
  the 
  fishermen 
  therefrom 
  because 
  of 
  an 
  arti- 
  

   ficial 
  rise 
  in 
  price. 
  Under 
  such 
  circumstances, 
  fishermen 
  are 
  likely 
  to 
  

   report 
  a 
  particular 
  fishery 
  as 
  in 
  excellent 
  condition 
  and 
  thus 
  to 
  create 
  

   an 
  entirely 
  erroneous 
  impression 
  which 
  the 
  fish-eating 
  pubHc 
  finds 
  

   difficulty 
  in 
  reconcihng 
  with 
  personal 
  experience. 
  

  

  Among 
  the 
  more 
  valuable 
  food 
  fishes 
  about 
  which 
  there 
  is 
  reason 
  for 
  

   the 
  most 
  sohcitude 
  are 
  the 
  anadromous 
  species 
  of 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  sea- 
  

   board, 
  particularly 
  the 
  shad 
  and 
  the 
  alewives 
  or 
  river 
  herrings. 
  Not- 
  

   withstanding 
  the 
  most 
  unmistakable 
  demand 
  for 
  immediate 
  and 
  radi- 
  

   cal 
  action 
  on 
  the 
  part 
  of 
  States 
  to 
  preserve 
  these 
  fisheries, 
  nothing 
  

   noteworthy 
  has 
  been 
  accomplished, 
  and 
  vast 
  food 
  supplies 
  and 
  sources 
  

   of 
  income 
  to 
  the 
  fishermen 
  are 
  being 
  sacrificed. 
  

  

  The 
  distressing 
  conditions 
  which 
  have 
  been 
  permitted 
  to 
  arise 
  and 
  

   continue 
  in 
  Chesapeake 
  Bay 
  and 
  tributaries 
  were 
  referred 
  to 
  at 
  some 
  

   length 
  in 
  the 
  last 
  annual 
  report. 
  The 
  season 
  of 
  1913 
  was 
  stated 
  to 
  be 
  

  

  5 
  

  

  