406 



SCIENCK 



[N. S. Vol. IX. No. 220. 



THE WORK OF THE U. S. FISH COMMISSION. 



The report of the U. S. Commissioner of 

 Fish and l^isheries for the year ending June 

 30, 1898, shows an increase in the propaga- 

 tion and distribution of food-fishes of about 

 40 per cent, over the work of any previous 

 year. 



The number of adult and yearling fishes, 

 fry and eggs distributed in public and 

 private waters or transferred to the State 

 authorities was about 857,000,000, of which 

 the largest number represented important 

 commercial species, like the shad, cod, 

 whitefish and salmon. There were thirty- 

 three hatching stations and sub-stations in 

 use, the steamer Fish Hawk being also uti- 

 lized for shad-hatching in Albemarle Sound 

 and the Delaware River. 



The extension of the salmon-hatching 

 work on the Pacific coast was especially 

 gratifying, as the enormous annual drain 

 on the salmon streams of that region makes 

 it very important that the supply should be 

 kept up by artificial means. At the sub- 

 station situated on Battle Creek, a tributary 

 of the Sacramento River, the lai-gest collec- 

 tion of the salmon egg (48,000,000) in the 

 history of fish-culture was made in the fall 

 of 1897. 



Particular attention was also paid to the 

 hatching of j-oung lobsters, owing to the 

 steady decline in the lobster fishery, and as 

 a result of these effoi'ts no less than 95,- 

 000,000 fry were turned loose. 



There is little doubt but that the future 

 success of the lobster industry depends on 

 the possibility of artificial propagation, and 

 the same may be said of the salmon fisheries 

 of the Pacific coast. What may be hoped 

 for is shown in the steady increase of shad 

 in the eastern United States. 



In 1880 the catch was only about 18,000,- 

 000 j)ounds, and the catch steadily decreased 

 until 1885, when the results of artificial 

 propagation became observable. By 1888 

 the catch had doubled, and in 1896, the 



last year for which there are accurate data, 

 the catch amounted to 50,866,368 pounds, 

 with a market value of $1,656,711, the 

 value of the increased catch for that year 

 alone being something like $800,000 in ex- 

 cess of the total cost of all shad propaga- 

 tion lip to that date. Extended tables show 

 the output of the different hatcheries and 

 the details of the distribution of the eggs 

 and fry of the various species. 



The Division of Inquiry respecting food- 

 fishes has made various investigations re- 

 garding the oyster, including a survey of 

 the oyster grounds of Louisiana and a re- 

 examination of the much-vexed question as 

 to the origin of the color of green oysters. 

 In regard to this the report states that in 

 the United States it has been repeatedly 

 demonstrated by the Commission that the 

 green coloi' is due to vegetable matter which 

 serves as food, and that there is no impair- 

 ment of the edible qualities of the oyster. 

 The reason for the color of the ' red oysters ' 

 noted during the season of 1896-97 is un- 

 known, as no oj)portunitjr was given to in- 

 vestigate the problem, but it is suggested 

 that it may be due to the presence of the 

 infusorian Peridinium. 



In view of the scarcity of mackerel, 

 which has extended over a longer period 

 than ever before in the history of this fish- 

 ery, special study has been given to the em- 

 bryology, natural spawning and artificial 

 propagation of this species. Its practical 

 propagation is still an unsolved problem, 

 and it is noted that under existing condi- 

 tions the number of eggs obtainable is too 

 small to produce any appreciable efl'ect, 

 while suggestions are given for enlisting the 

 aid of the fishermen. The jjrincipal work 

 of the Division of Statistics has consisted of 

 canvasses of the more important fisheries of 

 certain of the New England and Middle 

 Atlantic States and of the Great Lakes, the 

 information thus collected being made im- 

 mediately available by the publication of 



