12 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONERS 



against such individual to merit a fine of not less than $500.00 or im- 

 prisonment for not less than one year. 



We farther recommend that the line drawn from Narragansett 

 lower pier be abolished (in Sec. 1st) and the whole shore of the State 

 pnt in charge of the commissioner, for the reason that sciip taken to 

 the westward of Point Judith are vastly more liable to enter the bay 

 to spawn than those that have passed Brenton's Reef. 



Heart nets or pounds. — Map No. 1, shows that no less than thirty- 

 one of these infernal machines were set in the bay the past season. 

 What amount of fish were taken in them it is impossible to say. The 

 good people of Rhode Island saw very few of them as most of tlie 

 catcli is shipped to New York. Those set in Newport harbor caught 

 vast quantities of young mackerel the past summer, about sixteen to 

 the pound and of no j^ossible value. We have but one word to say 

 about heart nets, and that is, abolish them, or if we cannot do tliat, 

 make them pay a heavy license and come under the wing of the Com- 

 missioner and report. They are as much more destructive to fisli tliat 

 frequent our bay than the much decried traps, as it is possible to con- 

 ceive for they are set all the season through and if an unfortunate fish 

 escapes them one day he is pretty sure to find his way in the next, and 

 if he misses one he will find another awaiting him at the next corner. 

 It cost the State the larger part of the money expended by the Com- 

 missioners the past season to enforce the law in regard to these same 

 heart nets, and save to the parties who own them and reap the profits 

 they are vastly unpopular. 



In conclusion we would add that our bay fisheries have been neg- 

 lected too long. Every one who has given the subject a thought is 

 awaj-e of its importance, and we hope the wisdom of the Legislature 

 will devise some plan for their future supervision and protection. 



"Fishermen as a class look only to their present profit," says the 

 California commissioner, and truer words were never spoken. We 

 have endeavored in as few words as possible to point out such facts as 

 our past observation warrants; future study will develop many more. 

 The United States Government throucfh Prof. Baird are hard at Avork 



