218 



BRANCH C'HORDATA 



though there are scores of others. The value of the annual out- 

 put of our streams and coasts is at least $50,000,000. 



Each nation reserves all fishing rights within three miles of its 

 coasts. Outside of this the sea fishes are open to the world. 

 The largest sea fisheries are those of the Atlantic coast of the 

 United States, Canada, and Newfoundland, and next in import- 

 ance are those of northern Europe. Thousands of fishermen 

 from the United States, Canada, and France are engaged in the 

 cod-fishing on the foggy banks 

 of Newfoundland, whose shallow 

 waters furnish an abundance of 

 food for the cod, and make these 

 the greatest cod-fisheries in the 

 world. The fisheries along our 

 New England coast supply most 

 of the fresh cod-fish for our home 

 use. Gloucester is the largest 

 fishing port of the United States 

 and supplies a large part of the 

 salted cod-fish for our use. "The 

 Columbia and other rivers of our 

 northwest coast, including Alaska, 

 furnish our largest salmon fisher- 

 ies. The salmon canning industry 

 of Alaska is said to be the largest 

 of the world." 



The demand for this whole- 

 some food product, together with 

 recklessness, has caused the de- 

 struction of certain species in 

 many waters. To prevent their extermination the United 

 States Government has a Bureau of Fisheries which has es- 

 tablished fish-hatcheries in almost all the states. In these the 

 spawn are cared for until they hatch, and when old enough the 

 young fishes are shipped to various localities for stocking ponds 

 and streams; or, the eggs themselves may be distributed. The 

 food supply of these fishes is also protected or introduced, and 

 their enemies, diseases, and life histories are studied. The 

 annual distribution of eggs and young fishes numbers more than 



Fig. 181. — Sea-horse {Hippo- 

 cam' pus harhouri). (Bull. U. S 

 F. C, 1907.) 



