FISHERY IMPROVEMENT IN JERSEY. 83 



Colony, and to demonstrate practically to the capitalists and fishermen of 

 the Colony what undeveloped resources are ready to their hand if they 

 will hut equip proper vessels — the steam trawler heing unknown there at 

 present, as a consequence of want of knowledge of any suitably extensive 

 fishing banks. According to recent advices, the results attained have 

 surpassed the most sanguine anticipations, as immense catches of fine 

 marketable fish have been made in many of the trial hauls. 



Acclimatisation while of the greatest success with regard to fresh 

 water fish, has only been tried with sea-fish upon anything approaching 

 a commercial scale by the United States. The experiment was begun 

 26 years ago, when 12,000 shad fry ( Clupea sapidissimaj brought from the 

 Atlantic Seaboard, were liberated at the mouth of Sacramento River, 

 on the Pacific Coast. During the ensuing 15 years 1,519,000 Atlantic 

 iry were set free at various points on the same coast. The result has 

 been truly marvellous and one about the success of which there can be 

 no question; thus in 1892, the fishery upon the West coast was estimated 

 at 700,000lbs., and this, too, without special effort being made to 

 capture ; most was taken unintentionally in salmon nets and otherwise. 

 So abundant indeed were the fish, that the price there was lower than 

 upon the Atlantic coast. Besides the shad, the United States Fishery 

 Commission has introduced the Atlantic striped bass fRoccus lineatusj into 

 the Pacific. In 1879 about 150 individuals were freed at the mouth of 

 the Sacramento River, and three years later another batch of 300 were 

 liberated at the same spot. The result of these two small introductions 

 is that a new and growing industry has developed ; so early as 1892 it 

 produced 43,000lbs. of fish. 



As a concluding item in this all too brief and imperfect survey, we 

 have to note that two years ago the States of Guernsey appropriated £100 

 for experiments in Lobster hatching and another £140 this year, with a 

 view to increase the supply of this crustacean. Last year was tentative 

 and an extremely small number were set free. This year at the 

 beginning of July, five of the Nielson floating-incubators were in 

 operation at Grand Havre, two at Perelle Bay and one at St. Sampson's. 



Part 3. — Scope and programme of the Investigation and Experiments 



requisite locally. 



Such work falls naturally into three divisions : — 



1. Investigation. 



2. Experiment. 



3. Education and the supply of information. 



1. — Investigation, 

 a. It is important that an exhaustive investigation of the methods 

 of fishing now pursued upon the Jersey coast, should first be undertaken, 



