This increase of production cannot reasonably be credited to an 

 increase in the number of canning establishments, as it is well known 

 that no such sudden and large increase of such facilities has taken 

 place; nor can it fairly be attributed to chance runs of fish into the 

 river. It is too regular and well sustained to be the result of accident. 



In addition to the amount of salmon canned for export, it will be 

 seen by the detailed report of transportation, that 6,713,408 pounds of 

 salmon have been taken for home consumption. It may be well here 

 to add that the above statistics are not mere estimates, but reliable 

 information obtained from parties engaged in this business, and from 

 registers of internal transportation. 



The Commission has much satisfaction in being able to report that 

 there now appears to exist a more harmonious feeling upon the 

 necessity of preserving the fish in our rivers. During the year last 

 past, from all the information we have, there has been exhibited, on 

 the part of the conductors of the canning business, a fair and earnest 

 desire to enforce the close season, and a commendable realization of 

 the importance of preserving the fish from wasteful destruction, and 

 allowing them to reach their breeding grounds in sufficient numbers. 

 But still there has been a great deal of surreptitious violation of the 

 laws by itinerant fishermen, whose depredations can only be pre- 

 vented by the people in the immediate neighborhood assisting in 

 enforcing the law; for it may here, we think, be pertinently remarked, 

 that the "American citizen," whilst exhibiting the highest order of 

 natural ability for the making of laws, seems to almost entirely over- 

 look the fact that it is also his privilege and duty, individually, to 

 aid in the enforcement of them. It has been frequently suggested to 

 the Commissioners, that they ask the Legislature for an additional 

 appropriation for the establishment of a " patrol police," to enforce 

 the laws as against these desultory depredations. We cannot see the 

 expediency of such an extravagance, for extravagance it w^ould be. 

 It would cost more to keep it up than any possible benefits derived 

 from it. There is no actual necessity for large expenditure by this 

 Commission, and the simpler and more economically it is conducted, 

 the better will the State be served. 



STRIPED BASS. 



During the last year we have repeated the effort of introducing 

 this valuable fish into the waters of the State, and we may add, this 

 coast, for it is a sea-going fish, as well as an inhabitant of inland 

 waters. 



On the Eastern coast of the continent there is no other fish so highly 

 valued. It is exceedingly prolific. It inhabits the fresh waters 

 during all the Spring and Summer months, running in schools and 

 taking the hook readily, and varying in weight from one to five 

 pounds. When it takes on its sea-going form, it becomes a noble fish, 

 reaching in weight from seventy to one hundred pounds, and still at 

 even this great size, never losing its delicious flavor. We subjoin 

 the report of Mr. J. G. Woodbury, the present Superintendent of the 

 State Fishery, who made the trip East during the last Summer espe- 

 cially to bring out the striped bass, and W' hose success in the difficult 

 task of bringing across the continent fish of so large a size will best 

 illustrate his skill and care in so difficult an undertaking. It is hoped 

 by the Commission that this importation will soon exhibit its results : 



