SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 2/ 



fecting that particular vessel. We are receiving hundreds of 

 these reports every month from all portions of the coast, includ- 

 ing the Pacific coast, the Gulf of Mexico and the numerous fish- 

 ing ports of the Atlantic ; and we are thus gathering a very large 

 amount of information regarding the vessel fisheries, but the boat 

 fisheries are still unprovided for, and if it were possible for the 

 C(jmmissioners of each of the States to arrange to get reliable 

 estimates of the quantity of fish caught yearly within their own 

 borders, the number of men that are dependent upon these fisher- 

 ies, and the distribution of the catch, I think we would be able to 

 show what legislation is needed, and consequently, which I con- 

 sider more important, to show clearly the importance of fislicul- 

 ture in the commercial fisheries and tlie achievements that fisli- 

 culture has already attained. I should be very glad if some of 

 the Commissioners present would give us a statement of what 

 has already been done in their waters and of the difficulties, if 

 such exist, in carrying out the line proposed. It has been sug- 

 gested this afternoon in conversation, that there would be consid- 

 erable difficulty owing to the fact that many of the Commission- 

 ers have only limited appropriations placed at there disposal, 

 while others receive nothing whatever for their services, these 

 being gratuitous, but it occurred to me that by having intelli- 

 gent correspondents in each of the leading centers, men in whom 

 thev had confidence, it would be possible to get together for the 

 State reports, very valuable contributions to our information re- 

 garding the condition of the fisheries. 



I will simply add for the information of anyone here who sees 

 no way of sending out agents to inquire as to the extent and 

 value of the fisheries, that there is a growing prejudice among 

 the commercial fishermen in favor of the work of the various 

 State Commissioners and of the U. S. Fish Commissioner, and 

 tliatthey arenowquite willing togiveto the different commissions 

 reliable information in answer to questions that may be asked. 

 As a proof of this I will state that a circular was sent to each of 

 the 1, 600 vesselsemployed in the food fisheries of New England, 

 and answers have been received from 1,560 of them, leaving only 

 about 40 vessels out of the 1,600 that failed to respond. In the 



