46 
with 1880, which is to be attributed probably in part to 
the stringent laws regulating this fishery which are 
now in operation, and in part to the great increase in 
the number of persons employed in the fishery. 
The mackerel is another important fishery to which I 
wish to call your attention. We find a decrease in this 
fishery in 1892 as compared with 1880 of 56,275,0co 
pounds. The great fluctuations in this fishery from year 
to year are inexplicable at the present time. In the 
absence of specific knowledge as to the spawning 
grounds of the mackerel and the conditions under which 
spawning takes place, we are not prepared to attribute 
any influence to methods as now pursued in affecting 
the results of the fisheries. 
The mullet fishery, which is more important in the 
South Atlantic and Gulf States, shows an increase of 
14,000,000 pounds in 1892 as compared with 1880. 
This increase, however, has no significance as bearing 
upon the question of regulation, from the fact that it 
has arisen by the development of new grounds in the 
South Atlantic and Gulf States, and by more active 
fishing in the Middle Atlantic States. 
The salmon, you know, is one of the most important 
economic species of the West coast. We find in this 
case an increased production in 1892 of 3,730,000 
pounds as compared with 1880. This certainly furnishes 
no argument in favor of unrestrained fishing so far as 
it relates to this species. The increase is due entirely 
to the development of new grounds, and has been 
accompanied by an alarming decrease in those rivers 
which in 1880 furnished a large part of the salmon for 
market. I refer particularly to the Sacramento and 
the Columbia Rivers, where there has been marked 
deterioration ' in the fisheries, clearly the result of the 
fishing operations. 
The sea bass, or black fish of New Jersey, shows an 
increased production of 5,758,000 pounds, which is 

