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A

ANNUAL REPORT

OP THE

MiSSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES,

MADE TO THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

JANUARY SHSSION, 1894.

PROVIDENCE:

E . L . F I{ E E M A N & SON, STATE PRINTERS.

1894.

REPORT.

To the Honorahle the General Assembly of the IState of Rhode Is-
land and Providence Plantations, at its January Session, 1894:

The ComraissioDers of Inland Fisheries herewith present their
annual report for the year 1893.

BLACK BASS.

This valuable food fish continues to increase in the waters of
our State where introduced, and many large catches have been
reported to us.

TROUT.

Seven thousand (7,000) yearling- trout were purchased and ap-
portioned out to applicants for them, to be placed in various
waters of the State.

The Commissioners have had but few reports of any consider-
able catches the past season, and, from general reports, consider
it the poorest season yet. This is the third consecutive season of
low streams during the summer and fall months.

TAUTOCt.

We have a few reports from line fishermen of large catches in
the upper waters of the bay during the spring fishing, but many
of good catches in the fall were reported.

4 REPORT OF COMMISSIOXERS OF IXLAXD FISHERIES.

SCUP.

No large catches of scup by line fishermen have been reported
to us, although large quantities have been reported as caught in
the traps at the entrance to the bay. The catch a little below last
season.

BLUE FISH.

Only a few have been taken this season by line in upper waters
of the bay, and have been scarce in the waters of this State the
last season ; indeed very few were to be seen except at Block
Island, where they had a fair catch, and we understand that there
was good fishing for them along the coast west and south of us.

SQUITEAGUE.

This fish was taken quite plentifully off Warwick Light, north
end of Prudence and at Hope Island by parties fishing for them
expressly; some parties fishing for bottom fish report their taking
that bait.

BUTTER FISH

still remain with us in good numbers. These are taken entirely
by traps.

MACKEREL

have been quite abundant, but most of them of small size. The
bullseye variety has been quite plenty.

STRIPED BASS

have been scarce, and as this is the most valued of all game fish,
it is much to be regretted.

SEALS.

The presence of seals in the bay last season was remarkable,
we have never known so many to be observed in our waters in
one season.

REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 5

Captain Chandler tells me that he counted 23 in sight at one
time, and others have noted their presence in large numbers.
These hair seals are great fishermen, and it takes quite a number
to make a meal for them ; what would be required to satisfy them
it would be difficult to calculate.

Account of fish and lobsters shipped in 1893, from Newport,
R. I., by Old Colony Steamboat Co.:

Month. Fish. Lobsters.

January 5 Barrels 3 Barrels.

February 2G ''

March 82 "

April 60 " 6 "

May 7,8J4 " 197 ^'

June 8,840 '' 305 "

July 3,435 " 356 ''

August... 1,622 '' 296 "

September ' 861 " 170 "

October 1,102 ^' 39 "

November 449 " 6 ''

December.. , 126 '' 21 ''

Total 24,452 1,399

The following is the amount of fish and lobsters shipped over
the Old Colony line for twelve years, from Newjport :

1882 12,514 Bar

1883 13,874

1884 .■ 20,301

1885 18,421

1886 18,439

1887 17,491

1888 16, 194

1889 21,353

1890 11,583

1891 / 20,236

1892 28,955

1893 25,851

els.

6 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF IXLAXD FISHERIES.

LOBSTERS.

The undersigned would respectfully report that under the Act
of Jan., 1893, he has the last year secured the eggs from 295
lobsters, which were set free in the waters of the State when
hatched.

Thus has he caused to be returned to the water four million of
young life that cannot fail to have some effect upon the numbers
in the waters, if but a small per cent, of them reach maturity.

It is hoped that some plan may be devised whereby all the eggs
from all the lobsters taken in this State may be secured and re-
turned to the waters after hatching.

■to"

J. M. K. SOUTHWICK,

Chairimin Fis/t Com.

THE CONVENTION AT NEW YORK.

The most notable event of the past year relating to the fisheries
was the conference held in New York City, Dec. 13th and 14th.

It was composed of Fish Commissioners from all the Northern
Atlantic States, and others interested in the coast fisheries.

This State was represented by J. M. K. Southwick and Mr.
George N. Bliss on the part of the Fish Commissioners, and by
Daniel T. Church, James Church, William A. Brightman, and
John Lewis as interested in the fisheries.

The call to this conference assumed that there was a growing
scarcity of edible fish all along the coast.

That the cause was the use of nets.

The remedy the restriction of nets.

This left nothing for the convention to do but agree upon uni-
form restrictive laws as suggested in the call.

As it was proposed to question the assumed fact, that fish were
diminished, the meeting was conducted in a free and impartial
manner.

KEPORT OF COMMISSTOXERS OF IXLAXI) FISHERIES. 7

lu behalf of those who called the conference it was shown that
with hook and line fish could not be taken in as larg-e number as
formerly on the fishing- grounds.

This, it was claimed, was evidence of a general diminution of
sea fishes.

On the other hand it was shown by statistics of fisheries, of
transportation companies, and of the markets, that a very large in-
crease of edible fish found their way to the markets from traps.

This is claimed as proof that no diminution has occurred.

If it is admitted that both sides proved their case, and we be-
lieve they did, so far as relates to the catch of fish in the different
ways indicated, the conclusion is inevitable that the failure is
local, not general, and must apply to specific fish, not to the ocean
fishes generally.

The wandering" ocean fishes like the squiteague, the blue fish,
the menhaden and the mackerel are too capricious in their move-
ments to count upon their presence anywhere with any degree of
certainty. To attribute their absence in a locality to a scarcity in
the ocean is a fallacy that was clearly demonstrated the past
season, in the failure of weak fish in Barneg-at Bay, while on the
Jersey coast they were very plenty, and on the south coast of
New England they were more abundant than ever before known.

To give satisfactory reasons why the hook and line men, who
stated their experience, found less fish than formerly is perhaps
beyond the power of man; still there are causes at work that
doubtless affect more or less the anadromous fishes that visit us,
and seek pure water in upper streams to deposit their spawn, but
who, if they succeed in overcoming obstructions in the rivers, find
the waters poisoned by sewerage, chemicals, and other deleterious
substances destructive to the young fish life. These impurities
are carried down stream by tides and deposit over the bottom, and
to this is added the mud from dredging that is dumped in the
channels and lodges in the eddies, covering vegetable and animal
life that would attract fish. Then there are changes effected by

8 REPORT OF COMMTSSTOXERS OF IXLAXD FISHERIES.

natural causes, storms sometimes scour the bottom of vegetable
life, or cover it with sand or mud.

At times the fish will not take the hook from some cause, it may
be because gorged by the abundance of normal food, they will
not be tempted to take the hook, let it be baited ever so well.

The result of this meeting was the bringing face to face of the
parties representing both sides of the question. It can but have
the effect to broaden the views of each, and lead to a more
thorough study, and we trust,- a better understanding, of the sub-
ject of our own fisheries.

The following observations of the fisheries, during the past
year, are from the pen of Capt. E. B. Church :

"The menhaden began to show on the coast early in May this
season and gave promise of being abundant; they went into Long
Island Sound in the usual quantity, and into Narragansett Bay in
rather more than the usual quantity; they remained in the bays
until about the last of July, when they left and did not return.
The early reports from Maine were very encouraging, the pound
fishermen reported catching of more than ever before early in the
season. But the steamers that cruised the coast failed to find an3^

It is the general belief that there was a body of menhaden on
the coast, but did not show up at the surface, this belief was
strengthened by the appearance of a large body of these fish in
Provincetown bay late in October. A large body of menhaden re-
mained in Buzzard's Bay all summer.

The fishermen found a large body of menhaden on the outside
of Long Island early in October ; where they came from no one
knew, they followed them down the coast as far as Brigantine
shoals where most of them disappeared ; some few were caught
south of there, in the vicinity of the Delaware, but not many.
This body of fish did much towards bringing this year's catch
up, although it is still much below the average. Both in the Dela-
ware and Chesapeake menhaden were plenty, and good catches

REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 9

were made, but, on the whole, business has been unprofitable,
owing to the small quantity of oil in the fish."

" Scup and sea bass were abundant on the coast during their
migration, more so than for many years, but there were very few
caught during the summer in the rivers and bays."

" Squiteague were very plentiful, so much so that they were
hardly worth catching in traps. It is safe to say the loss of these
fish from the pounds in East Kiver was from 200 to 400 tons dur-
ing the August storm."

'•'Blue fish were first taken this season the last of March or
early in April, in the vicinity of Cape Hatteras, where a large
fleet of New York smacks go to make early catches. I think there
is about sixty fitted from the Fulton Market alone. They found a
good body of fish, but they did not take the hook freely when first
found ; they came up the coast slowly, in fact, the great body of
them remained south of Barnegat all summer. A fairly good
school came on our coast in July, but went to the east ; good
catches were made in Vineyard Haven, and they are also reported
in considerable numbers off Newburyport. There have not been
such large numbers seen along the coast this year as there were
for the last three previous years.

" There was one noticeable thing about them this year, most of
them were very large.

" If I dared guess on the subject, it Avould be that there would be
less of them in 1894. Notwithstanding their young were very
abundant in the waters this fall."

State of Rliode Island in account with Commissioners of Inland Fisheries :

1892. Dr.
Dec. 31. To balance due Commissioners $53 78

1893.

Oct. 23. " paid for yearling trout 230 00

'•' "■ express on trout and advertising 18 20

Dec. 8. " '' printing, stamps and stationery 7 25

Dec. 31. " '* expenses of Commissioners 50 35

$359 58

10 REPORT OF ('OM-MISSIONP:iiS OF INLAND FlSHEiaES.

1893. Cr.

M.-ir. 24. By eM>li from Stiite Treasurer $53 78

Oct. 25. " '' " " " 206 85

Dec. 31. " balance due Commissioners 98 95

$359 58

J. M. K. SOUTHWICK,
HENEY T. EOOT,
WILLIAM P. MORTON,

Coviimssioners of Inland Fisheries.

MBL WHOl IIBKARY

li)H 17US T