REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 



FOR THE 



FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1904. ' 



GENERAL RESULTS. 



During the first year's operations of the Bureau of Fisheries as a 

 component of an executive department, after thirty-three 3^ears' exist- 

 ence as an independent commission, it is to be noted that the practical 

 work has proceeded on the same general lines as heretofore, that the 

 results attained in all branches have been satisfactory, and that the 

 outlook for greatl}^ augmented work is very favor-able. 



The efforts of the government on behalf of the fisheries are yearly 

 becoming more generally appreciated, and a desire actively to cooperate 

 with the Bureau has been manifested throughout the country by all 

 persons directly or indirectly interested in the promotion of fishing as 

 a Inisiness or as a pastime. The sums voted annually for expenditure 

 through this channel represent only about one per cent of the value of 

 our fisheries; the preservation of some of the most important of these 

 is now hxrgely dependent on the Bureau's operations; and it is easily 

 demonstrable that in pursuing a liberal policy for the promotion of 

 the fishing industry Congress is simply making an investment that 

 3'ields returns far greater than those which attend private business 

 enterprises. 



The succeeding references to the character and scope of the Bureau's 

 operations and the more extended accounts of the work in the various 

 branches of the service will be supplemented by special articles in the 

 animal report and bulletin. 



PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD-FISHES. 

 LEADING FF^ATURES OF THE WORK. 



The 3^ear 1004 was one of the most successful in the history of the 

 Bureau, considered with reference to the operations of the hatcheries. 

 The total distributions, which have been equaled by those of only a 

 single previous season (1902), exceeded 1,260,000,000. The conditions 

 attending the hatching of such a lar<j;e number of fishes necessitate the 

 planting of most of them in the form of fry; but increased attention 



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