REPORT 



OF THE 



COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



Department of Commerce and Labor, 



Bureau of Fisheries, 

 Washington^ Decemher 7, 1906. 

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

 Bureau of Fisherie.s during the fiscal 3^ear ended June 30, 1906. 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 statistics 

 and other information concerning the fisheries. It is asked that 

 especial consideration be accorded the recommendations with which 

 the report is concluded. 



PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES. 



In total results the fish-cultural work of the Bureau in 1906 sur- 

 passed all previous records. The decline in the catch of shad in the 

 rivers has continued, and consequently the take of eggs of one of the 

 fishes formerly most conspicuous in the annual distributions was less 

 this year than ever before; but the exceptional numbers of the salmons, 

 of lake, rainbow, and steelhead trouts, of yellow perch and white 

 perch, of flatfish and lobsters, with an average product of cod, white- 

 fish, and pike perch, nmch more than ofiset the decreases. The species 

 distributed numliered of), including the lobster. 



results of PREVIOUS OPERATIONS. 



Encouraging results of the efi'orts of the Government to maintain 

 the fisii supply by artificial means appear in reports from fishermen 

 and fish culturists in all parts of the country. Although it is difficult 

 to establish definitelv the extent to which the iiatcherics have aliected 



