XVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
to the Fish Commission in 1888 and 1889 . Through local agents aijd 
bureaus, as well as by correspondence and the utilization of newspaper 
items, much additional knowledge of the fisheries was obtained. 
Pending the negotiations looking toward a fishery treaty with Great 
Britain, the American commissioners were furnished with statistics, 
papers, maps, and personal explanations bearing upon the relations of 
the interested parties, and although the treaty was not ratified a modus 
vivendi was agreed upon for a period of two years. 
The announcement to the fishery interests, through the investigations 
of the Grampus in the spring of 1888, of the scarcity of mackerel along 
the coast partly prepared the fleet for the unfavorable season which 
followed. Inasmuch as the history of this fishery shows many similar 
great fluctuations in the abundance of this species without adequate 
explanation, it may reasonably be expected that recourse to artificial 
batching, the methods of which are now fully understood, will aid in 
reestablishing this valuable fishery on a permanent basis. 
The artificial freezing of fish recommended by this Commission as 
available for adoption by New England fishermen, was successfully and 
very profitably applied by Mr. William H. Jordan, of Gloucester, Mass., 
in the transportation of herring from Newfoundland. 
Fuller details of the work of this division for the current year will be 
found in the report of the assistant in charge of the division, Capt. J. W. 
Collins, which is appended to and constitutes a part of this report. 
FISH-CULTURE. 
The work of this division has been under the immediate direction of 
the Commissioner, such duty being made necessary by his previous re- 
lations to and experience as assistant in charge of the division of fish- 
culture. With the continual expansion of the operations of the Commis- 
sion and the increasing care and responsibilities incident to the general 
administration, it will not be practicable for the Commissioner to con- 
tinue personal supervision of the fish-cultural operations longer than is 
necessary to establish satisfactory direction of the work under the 
superintendence of an assistant. 
The work for the present season shows a gratifying improvement 
over the results of the previous year. This is indicated both by the 
large increase in the number of eggs and fry distributed, and by the 
greater number of yearling fish reared and distributed. The total 
effective production is shown by the folio wing table : 
