XII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
to the coast of southern California, between Point Conception and the 
Mexican boundary line, and to the Gulf of California. In the course of 
these inquiries important results were accomplished and several new 
fishing-grounds were brought to the attention of the fishermen. The 
most important discoveries in this line had reference to Cortez and 
Tanner banks, directly off San Diego. Heceta Bank, off the coast of 
Oregon, and the halibut banks off Cape Flattery were also examined 
and the character and value of their resources partly determined. The 
observations made in the Gulf of C alifornia, together with an investi- 
gation of the Colorado River and its principal tributaries at about the 
same time, tend to prove that this river system is not suited to the 
introduction of the Atlantic shad, which has done so well farther north 
on the Pacific coast, and no traces were discovered of the few plantings 
made in this region several years ago. The problem of oyster- culture 
on the coast of California received attention from the naturalists of the 
Albatross, and the vessel also rendered assistance in distributing the 
live lobsters sent over from New England and placed in those waters. 
On the Atlantic coast, instead of continuing the general explorations 
which had been carried on for several years, the steamer Fish Hawk 
was assigned to special investigations, having reference chiefly to the 
oyster-grounds of Long Island Sound and Rhode Island. No other 
fishing industry, probably, has greater claims at present upon the 
attention of the Fish Commission with respect to its maintenance and 
development than that afforded by the oyster. On the coast of New 
England and New York, some measures of protection are demanded 
against the drills and starfishes which destroy large quantities of oys- 
ters every year ; in Chesapeake Bay the production has steadily been 
decreasing since 1880, and on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts an 
active interest has recently been shown in devising means for improv- 
ing and developing the wild growths of oysters which occur wherever 
favorable conditions now exist. Moreover, the natural supply of seed 
oysters is totally inadequate to meet the demands of planters and some 
economical methods of artificial cultivation are desirable in order to 
relieve this want. 
In connection with all of these questions the several States have 
ooked to the U. S. Fish Commission for assistance, especially in the 
way of scientific investigation and experiments on which to base the 
necessary measures for relief. While not having sufficient means to 
press the inquiries in this direction as rapidly as seems desirable, 
arrangements have been made to give them every possible attention 
and to detail for this purpose the steamer Fish Hawk and such launches 
as may be necessary, when not required for fish-cultural and other more 
urgent work. The researches conducted by the Fish Hawk on the south- 
ern coast of New England during the season of 1888 are described in the 
special report of the assistant in charge of scientific inquiry. The 
grounds visited were carefully examined as to their conditions in every 
