CXIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
the investigation of the salmon l ivers of that region, of which fuller 
. mention will be made in a subsequent report. 
In the early part of the year inquiries were begun in New England, 
more especially in Massachusetts and Maine, but, owing to my absence 
from Washington and the difficulty of properly directing the work 
under the circumstances in which I was then placed, the Commissioner 
thought it necessary to suspend the work, which he did on August 
15, 1888. Toward the close of the year, however, the investigation was 
resumed, and, in addition to the work performed by the local agents at 
Boston and Gloucester, a special agent was sent to Rhode Island to 
make a canvass of its fisheries. It is proposed to continue this work 
so as to cover the entire coast fisheries of New England, and it is 
expected that the inquiry will be completed in a few months. 
Treasury circular , statistics of the fisheries. — Through the continued 
courtesy of the Treasury Department, the Fish Commission receives, 
from the various collectors of customs, reports on this circular covering 
the operations of fishing vessels. The value and condition of these 
returns were fully discussed in my previous report. The number of 
statements received during each fiscal year since the circular went into 
effect is as follows : 
1886 ' 892 
1887 5,088 
1888 5, 436 
1889 4, 846 
Total. 1 16,262 
Reports of S. J. Martin. — Capt. Martin, resident statistical agent 
of the Fish Commission at Gloucester, Mass., has continued to send 
monthly and semimonthly reports to this division. These show the 
daily arrivals of vessels, the amount of fish landed by each, the locali- 
ties where the fish were taken, and many other valuable data, including 
the statistics of fish landed by boats operating from Gloucester harbor, 
catch of the local fish-traps, etc. 
Reports of F. F. Dimick. — Since his appointment, on April 15, 1889, 
Mr. Dimick has furnished the division with monthly reports showing 
the arrivals of fishing vessels at Boston, the quantities of fish received, 
importations of fish products, etc., together with the grounds upon which 
the fish were taken. He has also submitted statistics of the vessel and 
boat fisheries of Boston and vicinity, including t>ersons employed, capital 
invested, and amount and value of catch. 
The Boston fish bureau. — The daily trade reports of the Boston fish 
bureau, which have been sent to the Commission free of charge, have 
furnished information concerning the arrivals of fishing vessels at Boston 
and other ports, and a general statement of the amount of mackerel and 
other salt-fish products landed by them, together with much other data 
relating to the fresh and salt fish trades, condition of foreign markets, 
etc. 
