AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2839 



in much greater quantities than was the case 10 years ago; and this I 

 ascribe to the action of the State government with regard to the res- 

 toration of river fish. 



Q. How many pounds did you mention ? A. 4,000. 



Q. Caught by a single man ? A. Two men will do it ; a man with a 

 trawl and an assistant will go out in an open boat in the morning from 

 the city of Xewburyport and come back at night, or go out at night and 

 return in the morning, and in the mean time take 4,000 pounds of cod. 

 That is the only point along there at which, at that distance from the 

 shore, I know that it is possible to catch cod in such numbers. 



Q. Must not a great lapse of time, or at least a very considerable 

 lapse of time occur, before the fisheries destroyed, as you have here de- 

 scribed, can be restored by the process you speak of ? A. I think that 

 this depends on the amount of time necessary for the restoration of the 

 fish, which run out to sea from the rivers. I think that if this year 

 there are no such fish as alewives, &c., to run into these rivers, and 

 that if next year a great army was to so run in, concurrent with that 

 army, an army of cod and other fish would be there to prey upon them. 



Q' I see that in your Report for 1872 and 1873, referring to the lake 

 fish, you say on page Ixxxi : 



The restoration of food-fishes to localities originally tenanted by them, or their 

 transfer to new waters, is, however, a question of time; and in the immense extent of 

 our river and lake systems, many years must necessarily elapse before the work can 

 be accomplished. 



A. That is a great number of years, certainly ; but that does not so 

 much refer to any particular river as to the aggregate rivers and lakes 

 scattered over the whole body of the United States. 



Q. You say here that " many years must necessarily elapse"? A. 

 Certainly. 



Q. When did you commence this work ? A. The actual process of 

 artificial propagation began, under my direction, in 1872. 



Q. Do you refer to any term of years? I suppose that you mean a 

 period of 10. 12, or 14 years. A. It might be more. The time of 

 course depends on the expenditure involved, and the concurrence of 

 suitable legislation to protect the fish, and many other points. 

 Q. How many fish-breeding establishments have you in the States ? 

 A. Nearly every State in the Union has now a series of fish commis- 

 sioners, whose business it is to propagate fish within their borders. 



Q. There is only one in each State? A. There is one State establish- 

 ment ; and a certain number of private establishments in each, founded 

 for the purpose of gain. ' 



Q. Do you know how many there are in Canada? A. I know there 

 are a great many. Canada is doing most admirably in this respect. 



Q. And very much more in proportion than the United States ? A. 

 No; I think not; I think by far less in proportion. 



Q. In proportion ? A. Yes. 



Q. To population? A. I do not say according to population. I shall 

 qualify that statement by saying that what is done in Canada is done 

 on a much less scale of magnitude than is the case in the United States. 

 I mean that the aggregate of artificial propagation in the United States 

 is much greater than the aggregate in Canada ; but I would not take a 

 ratio. 1 think that both Canada and the United States are doing as 

 much as they can in this regard, in the time that has been allowed for 

 the purpose. 



Q. I suppose that Canada is doing a very large work in this connec- 

 tion ? A. She is doing most admirably yes. 



