REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXIX 



successful summer-fishing with, the hook and line, and leaving to the 

 traps and pounds the burden of supplying the markets. This state- 

 ment applies also, but perhaps to a certain extent, to the blue-fish. The 

 decrease in their numbers first manifested itself about ten years ago, 

 and is going on quite rapidly until now. 



III. This period of decrease represents the time during which the traps 

 and pounds have been well established, their operations increasing year 

 by year, and their catch, especially in the early spring, being always 

 very great. 



IY. In 1871 and 1S72 the decrease in the number of fish has been so 

 great as to reduce very largely the profit formerly derived by the traps. 



V. The appearance, in 1871, of an unusually large number of young 

 fish spawned in 1870 is a phenomenon only to be explained by the prob- 

 able escape of a larger number of breeding-fish than usual during the 

 previous season, an abrupt decrease in the ravages of blue-fish and 

 other species, or else by a spontaneous movement northward of newly- 

 hatched fish that ordinarily would have remained on a more southern 

 coast. While these fish will probably, for several years, constitute a 

 marked feature in the fisheries, there is no evidence of the existence of 

 a second crop of young fish corresponding to the one in question. 



VI. The decrease of the fish may be considered as due to the com- 

 bined action of the fish-pounds or weirs and the blue-fish, the former 

 destroying a very large percentage of the spawning fish before they 

 have deposited'their eggs, and the latter devouring immense numbers 

 of young fish after they have passed the ordinary perils of immaturity. 



VII. There are no measures at our command for destroying the blue-fish, 

 nor would it be desirable to do this, in view of their value as an article 

 of food. The alternative is to regulate the action of the pounds so as 

 to prevent the destruction of fish during the spawning-season. 



VIII. The quickest remedy would be the absolute abolition of the 

 traps and pounds. This, however, would be a harsh measure, and their 

 proper regulation will probably answer the purpose of restoring the 

 supply, although a greater number of years will be required. Such reg- 

 ulation may consist either iu prohibiting the use of traps or pounds 

 during the entire season of the spawning of the fish, or for a certain 

 number of days in each week during that season. 



IX. As the principal profit of the pounds is derived from the catch of 

 fish during the spawning season, it will probably be sufficient to try the 

 experiment of prohibition of the use of nets from Friday night until 

 Monday morning of each week of the spawning-season, and after that 

 no restriction need be imposed. 



X. It is desirable that the regulation for a close time during each 

 week be passed by the several States; and if this cannot be effected, 

 .then the General Government should enact absolute prohibition, or at 

 least during the spawning-season, as it possesses no officers who could 



