100 First Annual Keport of the 



den if our laws were made to conform with the advanced ideas 



now governing the marine fisheries of other States and countries. 



Before the adoption of the law of 1908, the revenue for the 



preceding eight years from 1901 to 1908 inclusive, was as follows: 



1901 $1,812 40 



1902 1,589 84 



1903 1,574 94 



1904 1,523 22 



1905 2,496 79 



1906 3,321 30 



1907 4,836 18 



1908 6,950 93 



Under the law of 1908, the increase is shown as follows : 



1909 $17,500 37 



1910 24,745 95 



1911 23,694 02 



The Bureau deals with a great economic proposition, one not 

 only of production but primarily of careful and scientific 

 propagation. 



In no department of the Conservation Commission is there 

 a better opportunity to show the results of not only conservation 

 but progressive and scientific augmentation than in the marine 

 fisheries of our State — and augmentation, the increase of the 

 product of our marine fisheries, must be the goal aimed at if the 

 true object of conservation as applied to fisheries is to be attained. 

 This field has been but slightly touched. By the practical appli- 

 cation of approved modern methods, the economic value of our 

 marine fisheries can be quintupled, and in many instances in- 

 creased tenfold in from Ryb to ten years. The importance of the 

 questions involved should be clearly discernible. 



This is illustrated and confirmed by actual experience. Five 

 years ago lobsters were a rarity in the waters of this State. Since 

 artificial propagation has been introduced this species has rapidly 

 increased so that our fisheries of this valuable crustacean are 

 already producing gratifying results, and we can confidently 

 expect that their output henceforth will steadily and repaidly in- 



