350 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



(») Table showing the dates of first appearance of mackerel along the different por- 

 tions of the coast in 1887, as indicated by their capture in pounds and weirs located 

 between Virginia and Nova Scotia. Also date of first importation of mackerel in 

 1887, and date of entrance offish into Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



(o) Table showing by customs districts the number and nationality of men employed 

 in the vessel fisheries of Massachusetts in 1886. 



(p) Statistical summary of the American mackerel fishery in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence in the year 1887. 



(q) Table showing the extent and value of the vessel fisheries of the customs dis- 

 tricts of Philadelphia, comprising the ports of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cam- 

 den, New Jersey, during the year 1887. 



(r) Table showing the value of fishery products imported into the United States 

 from Canada and Newfoundland during the year ending June 30, 1887. 



(s) Table showing the value of the products of the Canadian fisheries in the year 

 1886, not including those of Newfoundland. 



(t) Table showing the value of fishery products imported into the United States 

 from Canada and Newfoundland, during the year ending Juue 30, 1886. 



(u) Statement of the value of the different New England fisheries in 1886. 



(v) Summary of American vessels fishing for cod in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in tho 

 years 1885, 1886, and 1887. 



1G. Report entitled " Some reasons why the fishermen of Nova Scotia 

 prefer to use salt clams (Mya arenaria) for bait in the hank hand-line 

 cod fisheries." — These notes I prepared for the use of the Commission- 

 ers who negotiated the fishery treaty between the United States and 

 Great Britain in the winter of 1887-'S. A rather full presentation of the 

 matter was made, including statistics to show the results obtained by 

 using salt clams for bait. 



17. Notes relating to improvements in dories and other fishing-boats, 

 in the matter of carrying food, water, etc., for the better protection of the 

 lives of fishermen engaged in the deep-sea fisheries. — On February 28, 1888, 

 a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Hon. Win. C. 

 P. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, " for the better protection of life to the 

 fishermen of the United States engaged in the deep-sea fisheries, etc., 

 and for other purposes." 



This bill was referred to the Commissioner for consideration, and at 

 his request I prepared a report on the subject, containing twenty-seven 

 type-written pages, and also several drawings illustrative of the text. 



The question of alleviating or preventing the suffering and fatalities 

 that go frequently result from fishermen going astray in boats without 

 food or water, or other adequate provision for their safety and welfare, 

 has attracted much public attention of late, and demands have been 

 frequent in the public press for the enactment of a law to benefit the 

 fishermen in this particular. 



For this reason, and because of the difficulty of enacting the proper leg- 

 islation without a full understanding of the points involved, the matter 

 was deemed of sufficient importance to call for an extended review. 



18. Maps showing the distribution of certain bait and food species. — 

 In the latter part of 1887 I was directed by the Commissioner to super- 

 intend the preparation of four large colored maps of the region from 



