Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-01-11
THE FISH AND FISHERIES
Annual Statement Made by the
Fish Commission.
INCREASE IN PROPAGATION
Commissioner Bowers Shows the Great In
crease of Work Done by The Bureau Of
Which He is the Head.

crease of Work Done by The bureau OF
Which He is the Head.
4 review of the operations of the
United States fish commission during
the past year. together with table
of statistics indicating the res ults OF
the comission's activity and COM
parative statement designed TO set
forth the growth of the commission,
has been prepared by George M. Bow
ers, the head of the bureau. The re-
port notes a serious decrease Ill the
number of lobster eggs found and a
decline of lobster fishing.
1.-The fish cultural operations for
the year" says Commissioners Bowers.
*'show an increase of more than .,
600. 600 over 1900, LIB, S33, 400 fish
and eggs having been distributed. the
principal species being shad, salmon,
lake trout. white fish, pike perch,
lake herring. cod, fiat fish and lob
sters.
Om the Cfeat Lakts
"On the Great Lakes the aggregate
results were satisfactory. and IN adj
dition to the usual work in these wa
tiers, plans were matured to begin
propagation of lake herring. This
was somewhat interfered with by the
severe weather of January, which
prevented taking more than 81, 600,
coo eggs, but 1t is expected to contin-
ne during the coming year. The col
lection of lake trout eggs il Lake Su-
perior and Michigan, which nearly
doubled that of last wear, amounted
to 224. 600, 600, from which 10, 600, 000
fry were Matched.
1.-The canvass of the Great Lakes
has been taken up only to 1899, when
the yield and value were nearly equal
to those of 1890, the largest on record.
The total yield was ll3. 1898, 600 pounds,
persons employed in the fisheries and
IS, 6l7, 600 was invested The value of
the fishes in the different lakes varies
considerably from Lake Erie, where
they are worth 81, $50. 000 TO Lake On
tario. which yielded products valued
at Sl01, 600"
AS far as the commission has been
able TO do So saws Mr.. Bowers. 1t
has endeavored TO comply with all the
requests received for stocking inland
lakes and rivers To that end 100, 900,
900 eggs were placed in the Missisquoi
liver in Vermont, AZ, 600, 90 eggs were
taken from Lake Erie to Michigan
and Missouri, and 299. 600, eco eggs
were held in Putin Eav. Out of
these hauls 240, S97 fishes were hatch
ed
"The shad work of the season
was satisfactory, continues the re-
port, Though fewer fish were hatch
ed than the previous wear, owing to
the weather conditions, which caused
the runs ON the Potomac and Susque-
hanna TO be much smaller than usual
The total number of shad fry distrlb-
uted was 1893. 2S7. 900.
Hawaiian Fisheries.
1.-The Investigation of the fisheries
of the Hawaiian Islands, required bv
the act OF Congress which provided
government for Hawaii, was begun
in June, 1901. 1t was recognized at
the out set that satisfactory study
of this subject, as contemplated by
Congress, would involve a thorough
inquiry into the variety, abundance,
distribution, habits, etc, of the fish
es and other aquatic products of this
archipelago, and il was decided that
the preliminary investigations should
be directed toward the marine zoolo-
gy of the territorial waters. The in :
Vestiagtion was placed under the
charge of DR.. b. W Evermann and
DR. David S. Jordan president of
Stanford University and a report ON
the subject will be n,'e shortly
The Lobster Hatehlng Industry.
50 1t becomes each wear more difficult
tc secure lobster eggs along the
coast 3" says Commissioner Bowers,
speaking of the WORK in New Eng
land, Notwithstanding the agents are
stationed at all the important fishing
centers. The continued steady de-
cline of this important fishing indus
try renders it the more important that
eff orts should be made to .re-establish
1t hy artificial propagation. The de-
crease is most noticeable sou tn of Cape
God. During the year there were
Matched and planted in New England