9 6 



EIGHTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



that the catch of the year now closed has not been equaled in twenty years, 



and fully fifty per cent more fish might have been taken had the factories 



been of sufficient capacity to handle them. It has been determined that food-fish 



and Menhaden do not school together, scarcely enough food-fish being taken by 



the Menhaden steamers to supply the wants of the crews in that direction. The 



United States Fish Commission caused a searching investigation to be made, with 



a view to determining this question, and has reported as above. Regarding the 



periodical scarcity or abundance of food-fish many theories have been advanced, 



but no good reason has appeared for the sudden changes from scarcity to 



abundance and vice versa. Those who, from experience and study of the subject, 



would be deemed most competent to answer such questions, say that it is beyond 



the power of man to explain why fish, after having been supposed to be almost 



extinct along certain lines of coast, will suddenly appear in great quantities. The 



difficulty of regulating the ocean fisheries by legislation is therefore apparent, 



and serious results are apt to follow such attempts. 



Respectfully submitted. 



B. Frank Wood, 



Superintendent of SJielljisheries. 



