in 1941 i an increase' c'f 70 percent ■Qver r940. • This species now ranks 

 second only to haddock (anong New Sngland fisheries) in the volune of 

 its production. Little is -known as to the ability of the redfish to. ■ 

 withst.and this heavy- drain-, "but it. i,s clear that a study of the fishery 

 and some degree of control are ne.eded, ■ 



Practical nethods 'f or the control of ' the starfish and the oyster 

 drill, principal eneJnies. of the oyster on the Atlantic Coast, have been 

 v/orked out by Service biologists oJid have been denonstrated to oysterraen 

 so that they nay be applied on a wide scale. Surveys to deternine the 

 local abundance of both starfish and drills arc nade at intervals and 

 reports are issued to the -industry for the purpose of intelligently 

 giaiding efforts to reduce the numbers of these oyster predators. The 

 importance, of . this progra.n nay be judged from -the fact that in Long Island 

 Sound alone starfish each year destroy oyster croxis valued at- an estimated 

 $500,000. - 



The numerous protective activities of the Service in relation to 

 the fisheries assume particular importance in.v;artine when it is especially 

 necessary to prevent the vraste or destruction of any food resources. 

 Water pollution and the development of strepxis for power are the outstand- 

 ing menaces to the fishery resources of inland waters. Pollution also 

 threatens the shellf isheries in certain coastal areas. Disease in 

 hatcheries reduces the efficiency of restocking program.s for ponds, lakes, 

 and streams, and the depredations of natural enemies greatly decrease 

 the productiveness of the oyster fishery. All measures taken or directed 

 by Service biologists to control such sources of food loss a.re , therefore, 

 direct safeguards for the Uation's fo-od supply. 



During the pa,st j^ear defense production and actual war conditions 

 magnified existing pollution problems and added nev; or little-lcnown types 

 of pollution. Wastes from paper, fiber, and pulp industries, including 

 rayon and viscose plants, increased in volume; the need for petroleum 

 and .its derivatives opened nev; oil fields vdth attenda,nt pollution hazards; 

 and increased' and unrestricted mining activities are adding volumes of silt 

 and rock wastes to hitherto unpolluted v/aters. War also has brought gres.t 

 changes in the chemical industry, that have resulted in nev/ wastes, some 

 harmless and others quite dangerous, but concerning which little is .laaown. 

 The mobiliza,tion of large concentrations of troops has created difficult 

 problems of sewage disposal and camp sanitation. 



With full cooperation of the United States Army, field investigators 

 of the Service have studied pollution problems at 30 ordnance plants. 

 With standard testing equipment installed on its laboratory trucks and 

 in pollution laboratories at Columbia, Mo. , Jort Worth, Tex. , and Spearfish, 

 S. Dak. , complete analyses of the wastes are undertaken and bioassays de- 

 termine the effects of the components of the wastes on fish life. As 

 rapidly as concrete results and recommendations for pollution control can 

 be made, they are reported to the proper authorities .who 8,re assisting the 

 Service to preserve aquatic resources. 



