INLAND FISHERIES COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 16 



Warren. — There are ten or twelve men that fish for shad and herring in the 

 spring. Method of capture, traps and heart nets. They estimate the value of 

 shad caught the past season at $2,100. Ten men follow hand line fishing ex- 

 clusively. 



Nayatt Point. — Ten men follow fishing here with hand lines in spring and fall. 

 One shore seine, not used however for several years. 



Pawtuxet. — Two shore-seiners and two hand-liners who make it their business; 

 several others who fish occasionally. 



Providence. — There are no men in Providence, or but a very few, who depend 

 upon fishing for a living the year round. Large numbers come down from the 

 city in the spring and fall and fish with hand lines in the vicinity of Nayatt 

 Point, Warwick Neck and the Islands. 



This shows tliat there is invested in this State by parties residing 

 in tlie State, one hundred and seventy-seren thousand three hundred 

 dollars in works, steamers, boats, etc., giving employment to three 

 hundred and thirty-four men in the menhaden fishery; two hundred 

 and forty-six men who depend upon fishing for their support the year 

 through, of whom forty-three are interested in heart nets. Exactly 

 why this small number of individuals should be allowed, year after 

 year, to deplete and almost ruin the fisheries in our splendid bay, we 

 fail to see, and in our capacity as commissioners and faithful servants 

 to our trust, and to the people of the State of Rhode Island who have 

 honored us with our office, we most respectfully and earnestly beg 

 that the Honorable General Assembly will enact such additions to our 

 fishery laws as we have suggested. 



We find there are a number of individuals, non-residents of this 

 State, who carry on the manufacture of fish oil and guano, and heart 

 seining, to say nothing of lobster catchers. All this may be remedied 

 by the enactment of Section 3 of our proposed amendment to Chap- 

 ter 751, save as regards to lobster-fisheries; Section 8 of Chapter 134 

 will do that very thoroughly if properly enforced. 



We most earnestly desire to call the attention of your Honorable 

 Body to the very important question of the lobster fishery in our 

 waters. Maine, Massachusetts and New York have seen fit to protect 

 themselves, and it is more than time the State of Rhode Island fol- 



