PREFATORY NOTE, 



U. 8. COMMISSION OP FISH AND FISHERIES, 



Waithington, May 30, 1884. 



In July, 1879, an arrangement was made with General Francis A. Walker, Superintendent of 

 the Tenth Census, by which an investigation of the fisheries of the United States was undertaken 

 :is t lie joint enterprise of the United States Fish Commission and of the Census Bureau. It was 

 derided that tin's investigation should be as exhaustive as possible, and that both the United 

 States Fish Commission and the Census should participate in its results. The preparation of a 

 statistical and historical monograph of the fisheries, to form one of the series to be presented by 

 the Superintendent of the Census in his report, was from the first the main object of the work, 

 but iu connection with this work extensive investigations into the methods of the fisheries, into 

 the distribution of the fishing-grounds, and the natural history of useful marine animals were 

 inaugurated and carried on. 



The direction of this investigation was placed in the hands of Mr. G. Brown Goode, Assistant 

 Director of the National Museum, who had already been engaged for a number of years in a 

 systematic, historical, and statistical investigation of the American fisheries, and who as early as 

 1877 had drawn up a scheme for an exhaustive exploration of the coast, quite as elaborate as that 

 now adopted and not essentially different. 



The first step taken was to secure the co-operation of as many as possible of those persons 

 who had in the past given attention to the subject of the fisheries, and this was so successfully 

 accomplished that it is safe to say that every one who has leen of late years prominent in such 

 studies has taken part in the preparation of this report. 



The plan of the proposed investigation was drawn up by Mr. Goodo before beginning the work, 

 and was published in an octavo pamphlet of fifty-four pages, entitled " Plan of Inquiry into the 

 History and Present Condition of the Fisheries of the United States." Washington : Government 

 Printing Office ; 1879. 



The scheme of investigation divided the work into the following departments : 



I. Natural history of m urine products. Under this head was to be carried on the study of the 

 useful aquatic animals and plants of the country, as well as of seals, whales, turtles, !i-li--.. 

 lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams, etc., sponges, and marine plants and inorganic products of the 

 sea with reference to (A) geographical distribution, (B) size, (C) abundance, (I)) migrations and 

 movements, (E) food and rate of growth, (F) mode of reproduction, (G) economic value and n.-e>. 



II. The fishing ground*. Under this head were to be studied the geographical distribution of 

 all animals sought by fishermen, and the location of the fishing-grounds; while, with references 



