REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1904. 
GENERAL RESULTS. 
During the first year’s operations of the Bureau of Fisheries as a 
component of an executive department, after thirty-three years’ exist- 
ence as an independent cominission, it is to be noted that the practical 
work has proceeded on the same general lines as heretofore, that the 
results attained in all branches have been satisfactory, and that the 
outlook for greatly augmented work is very favorable. 
The efforts of the government on behalf of the fisheries are yearly 
becoming more generally appreciated, and a desire actively to cooperate 
with the Bureau has been manifested throughout the country by all 
persons directly or indirectly interested in the promotion of fishing as 
a business or asa pastime. The sums voted annually for expenditure 
through this channel represent only about one per cent of the value of 
our fisheries; the preservation of some of the most important of these 
is now largely dependent on the Bureau’s operations; and it is easily 
demonstrable that in pursuing a liberal policy for the promotion of 
the fishing industry Congress is simply making an investment that 
yields returns far greater than those which attend private business 
enterprises. 
The succeeding references to the character and scope of the Bureau’s 
operations and the more extended accounts of the work in the various 
branches of the service will be supplemented by special articles in the 
annual report and bulletin. 
PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD-FISHES. 
LEADING FEATURES OF THE WORK. 
The year 1904 was one of the most successful in the history of the 
Bureau, considered with reference to the operations of the hatcheries. 
The total distributions, which have been equaled by those of only a 
single previous season (1902), exceeded 1,250,000,000.. The conditions 
attending the hatching of such a Jarge number of fishes necessitate the 
planting of most of them in the form of fry; but increased attention 
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