The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-31
UNCLE SAN THE GREATEST FISHERMAN IN THE WORLD
His Catches Run Into the
Billions Every Year IN the
Form of Spawn and Eggs
for Propagation IN the Gov
eminent Hatcheries-Some
Interesting Facts About
Commissioner Bowers De-
partrnent :. :. :. :.

Sea Islands. including the famous Ia
hiti. studying the fish and waters.
Hikueru vas visited principally for
the purpose of examining the pearl fish
cry in the lagoon, which has no entrance
sufficiently deep to float even a large
boat. the small sloops and catboats used
in the fishery being dragged and carried
over low places in the reefs.
The lagoon is opened to fishing one
year out of three. when the small resi-
dent population is augmented by
heavy influx from most of the Paumotu
Islands and some OF the Society Group
at the time of the visit of the AIbatross
it being estimated that over 5000 per-
sons were on the island
The fishery is carried on entirely by
naked native divers-men, women, and
the larger children. The men frequent
ly go to depth of fifteen fathoms. stay
Ing under water from two to three min
utes, and the best divers are said to
sometimes reach a depth OF twenty
fathoms.
The members Of the party saw man
bring up several shells from water four
teen fathoms deep. after an immersion
of two minutes and forty seconds. The
yield of mother-of- pearl is large, but
apparently decreasing. Pearls are not
SO frequently found here as in other ISL
ands of the archipelago where the shells
are less abundant
After leaving Hikueru stop was made
at Nukatavake, as before mentioned, and
landing was also made at Pinaki,
where the lagoon was found almost in
closed, shoal. with over 100 small islets
of Tridacna shells, and apparently in
process OF filling up.
Studies OF Great Value.
These studies have proved to be of
great value because the conditions in the
Philippines are about the same as in the
islands visited. At Tahiti a number OF
food fishes were found which could be
imported to this country with great sue
| cess. Then the party went to the Mar
shall Islands. the Caroline Islands,
Guam, the Philippines and Japan, thence
back 20 San Francisco. The Albatross
/ is now commanded by retired lieuten-
ant OF the navy. She has just been fitted
for another long cruise TO Alaska and
the Arctic
The other large steamer is the Fish
hawk. whose frequent trips to all East
err ports have made her so familiar
She is OF 900 tons, LAG feet long. has
powerful engines. and is fitted with APP
Iliances unknown in any other coun-
| try. She is now on her way to Woods
HoII, Mass. Last winter she spent the
season planting sponges in Southern
waters.
| Judging from the description OF Com
missioner Bowers fleet. it might be
supposed that he had under him large
number of men who do nothing but go
to sea- This view would be wrong. The
vessels are operated by the same men
who attend 10 the station work All
are expert culturists of fish. There
are few regular seamen. and these are
selected 10 do work that only long ex-
perience fits them for. There are fewer
| men TO do the work In the service or
| the Fish Commission than in any one
| CT the other Government departments,
and the pay is the smallest