REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXV 



and the blue-fish fishery is worth over $580,000. The total fisheries 

 of these States were worth, respectively: Isew York, $3,401,1905 New 

 Jersey, 13,614,131; Peimsylvania, $269,507; Delaware, $252,123; Mary-, 

 land, $3,617,306; Virginia, $3,167,863. They represent an investment 

 of $15,188,614, and employ 95,316 persons. 



Monthly statistics of the yield and value of the more important 

 fisheries which find a market at the port of San Francisco have been 

 collected, and for the calendar year 1898 they have aggregated more 

 than 39,500,000 pounds, valued at over $7,330,000. This includes the 

 whale fishery and most of the Alaskan salmon fisheries, as well as cer- 

 tain ones of Oregon and Washington. The item of greatest importance 

 is the salmon fishery, valued at nearly $5,250,000. The growth of the 

 oyster industry of San Francisco Bay, based on transplanted eastern 

 oysters, is of interest, the quantity marketed in 1898 being valued at 

 $482,000. It was found that the sea-otter fishery, prosecuted off the 

 coast of Alaska, is rapidl}^ declining, only 154 skins having been entered 

 at the custom-house during the year. It may be noted that the whale 

 fishery exi)erienced a revival in 1898, the value of its products being 

 materially increased by an unusual capture of bowhead whales in the 

 Arctic Ocean by the Pacific whaling fleet. 



The total quantity of fishery products landed at the ports of Boston 

 and Gloucester in 1898 was 143,403,740 pounds, valued at $2,989,088, an 

 increase over the preceding year of 16,538,142 pounds, worth $110,453. 

 This increase must be entirely credited to Gloucester, the receipts at 

 Boston showing a decrease, as compared with 1897, of 8,224,000 pounds. 

 Interesting tables, illustrating in detail the fisheries conducted from 

 these two ports, are published hereafter. 



An agent of the division accompanied the Fish HaicTi to Puerto Eico, 

 where his investigations developed interesting information regarding 

 the commercial aspects of the fisheries in that island, as mentioned in 

 the paragraph relating to that expedition. 



An inspection of the Pribilof seal rookeries was made by Mr. Charles 

 H. Towusend during July and August, 1898, in order to report to the 

 Treasury Department, as required by law, on the condition of the fur-seal 

 herd. It was found that* the herd had decreased some 22 per cent 

 since the count of 1897. During the year the number of surplus male 

 seals killed on the islands, under the supervision of the United States 

 Government, was 18,032, and the pelagic catch made by 35 Canadian 

 vessels from the American herd was 28,142. 



THE STEAMER FISH HAWK. 



This vessel was returned to the Commission by the Navy Department 

 September 15, 1898, and on September 29 Lieut. Commander Eichard G. 

 Davenport, U. S. N., under orders from the Navy Department, assumed 

 command. Some alteration and refitting were necessary after her use as 

 a gunboat, and October 18 she was again ready for Fish Com mission work. 

 Soon after a special investigation of NarragausettBay, mentioned else- 

 where, was undertaken at the request of the Ehode Island commissioners 



