REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CXLVII 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF STATISTICS AND METHODS OF 



THE FISHERIES. 



By C. H. Townskni). JsHtatant in charge. 



The principal work of this division for the year ending June 30, 1899, 

 was a canvass of the fisheries of Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and 

 Pennsylvania. The figures collected were for the calendar year 1897. 

 The field work in these States was commenced about the close of the 

 last fiscal year and continued during the summer and fall. It was 

 resumed again in the spring of 1899 and was completed by the end of 

 the fiscal year, at which time work was also begun in New York, New 

 Jersey, and the New England States. 



The agents of the division participating in the canvass were: Messrs. 

 W. A. Wilcox, in Virginia; 0. H. Stevenson, in Maryland and New 

 York; Ansley Hall, in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey; 

 T. M. Cogswell, in Virginia and Maryland; E. S. King, in Maryland, 

 Delaware, and Pennsylvania; J. N. Cobb, in Maryland, Delaware 

 Pennsylvania, and New Jersey; and W. A. Roberts, in Virginia, Mary- 

 land, and New Jersey. Mr. J. B. Wilson was temporarily emi)loyed in 

 canvassing the fisheries of Virginia. The work in the New England 

 States was begun in April, Messrs. Wilcox, Hall, and Cogswell can- 

 vassing Massachusetts; Messrs. Wilcox and Cogswell, New Hampshire; 

 Mr. Cobb, Maine, and Mr. King, Rhode Island; the work is still in pro- 

 gress on June 30, 1899. 



Mr. Stevenson, having for some time been engaged in preparing a 

 paper on the j^reservation of fishery products, compiled largely from the 

 records of the office, was sent in October and November to a number of 

 places on the New England and Middle Atlantic coasts and the Great 

 Lakes to procure additional information. 



In the latter part of June Mr. Town send was in the field with the 

 statistical agents of the division engaged in canvassing the fisheries of 

 New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine. 



Mr. J. B. Wilson was employed for a time in making inquiries respect- 

 ing the wholesale fishery trade of New York City, and at the close of the 

 year was engaged in canvassing the wholesale fishery trade of Boston. 



The publications appearing during the year which were wholly or in 

 part the work of persons connected with this division were: Shad Fish- 

 eries of the Atlantic Coast of the United States, by C. H. Stevenson; 

 Report of Fur Seal Investigations in 1896 and 1897 (Treasury document 

 2017, division of special agents), containing a cha|>ter by C. H. Town- 

 send on Pelagic Sealing; Statistics of Fisheries of the South Atlantic 

 States; Statistics of Fisheries of the Gulf States; Notes on Foreign 



