20 KEPOKT OF THE COMMISSIONEK OF FISHERIES. 



necessit}' for and tlic results of iisb-cultural operations of the gov- 

 ernment and states, and is i!idispensa))le in furnishing a ))asis for 

 legislation. 



The results of the inquiries in diti'erent regions with reference to 

 the extent, condition, and methods of their economic tisheries, and of 

 the investigation of special branches of the fishing industry to which 

 attention has been given during the 3'ear are shown in the appended 

 report of the assistant in charge. General canvasses have been con- 

 ducted in the New P]ngland, South Atlantic and Gulf States, and the 

 Hawaiian Islands, and special inquiries have been made into the con- 

 dition of the vessel Iisheries centering at Boston and Gloucester, Mass. ; 

 the fisheries of the interior waters of Florida; interior lakes and 

 streams of New York and Vermont; the Pacific cod and halibut fish- 

 eries, and the whale fisher}' centering at San Francisco, There have 

 also been very complete canvasses of the statistics and methods of the 

 salmon industry of Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska in 

 conjunction with the work of the special salmon commission. 



MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER MATTERS. 

 CHANGES 1\ J'KKSONNEI.. 



In the death of Mr. Cloudsley Rutter, which occurred November 28, 

 1903, the Bureau has lost the services of a very conscientious and effi- 

 cient a.ssistant. Mr. Rutter became connected with the Bureau in 

 1897 as scientific assistant, and at the time of his death was naturalist 

 of the steamer ^l/^(/?'/'6i.y.s'. He took an active part in biological investi- 

 gations on the Pacific coast, and his work on the sahuon added much 

 to the knowledge of the habits of those fishes. Mr. Rutter was suc- 

 ceeded b}^ Mr. F. M. Chamberlain, general assistant on the Allatross. 



The Bureau has lost another valued emplo3'ee, Capt. S. J. Martin, 

 whose death occurred June 10, 1901. Since 1888 he had rendered 

 faithful service at his home in Gloucester, Mass., in collecting statistics 

 of the important fisheries centering there. 



Mr. William Barnum, an employee of the Bureau since 1891, and 

 for mau}^ years editor of the Bureau's publications, resigned February 

 12, 1901, to take the position of chief clerk of the Carnegie Institution. 



At the request of the minister of the Argentine Republic, trans- 

 mitted through the Department of State, Mr. John \V. Titcomb, 

 assistant in charge of fish-culture, was granted leave of absence without 

 pay for nine months beginning September 1, 1903, in order to make 

 arrangements to inaugurate fish-cultural Avork on the part of the 

 government of that countr3\ 



Mr, E. A. Tulian, for a long time superintendent of the hatchery at 

 Leadville, CV)lo,, resigned in order to take fish eggs to Argentina and 



