Report on the Condition of the Sea Fisheries of the South Coast of New England

In presenting an account of the operations of the United States Fish Commission in 1877, it may be well to premise that while representing the sixth year of its work, it constitutes the fifth report of the series, that of two years having once been combined in the same report (1873-74 and 1874-75) for reasons referred to in the volume.

As heretofore, it has been found impossible to confine the record to the calendar-or even strictly to the fiscal year, it being considered desirable to give a full, connected, and complete account of the operations in each branch of fish propagation from the beginning to the end. Thus, while the work relating to the eastern Salmon extends from May to the following February or March, that connected with the Shad is begun in March or April, and generally extends only into June or July.

In volume IV of the series of reports will be found a running history of operations up to the beginning of 1877. The present volume takes up the thread and carries it forward in part into the year 1878.

It has already been explained in previous reports that while the labors of the Commission, as originally assigned by Congress in 1871, had reference more particularly to an inquiry into the condition of the sea-fisheries and the influences affecting them, they were largely increased and extended in 1872 by the order to include the general subject of introducing useful food-fishes into appropriate waters of the United States, or restoring them in already depleted rivers. While the first branch involves a somewhat active research during the summer season, when it is most convenient and practicable, the second requires constant activity throughout the year, both in the way of field-work and of extended official correspondence.

The increased appropriations by Congress have greatly increased the labor and responsibility, without any increase of staff, and with the exercise of the most rigid economy it is hoped that the results are becoming greater and greater in proportion to the expenditures.

It is gratifying to observe the constantly-increasing interest in the labors of the Commission, shown by the extensive correspondence induced at home and abroad and by the hearty co-operation of the State Fish Commissions in the common object, both of investigation into the condition of the fisheries and in their improvement.

The same system of subdivision of duty on the part of the personnel of the Commission has been continued as in previous years. The general subject of the propagation of food-fishes has been mainly in charge of Mr. James W. Milner, the Assistant Commissioner, while that of inquiry into the statistics of the fisheries has been prosecuted with the especial assistance of Mr. G. Brown Goode, curator of the National Museum. This gentleman, in addition to the statistical inquiry, has also had charge of the field-work connected with the vertebrates. Prof. A. E. Verrill, with his staff, has supervised the explorations and investigations connected with the marine invertebrates, and Professor Farlow those relative to the useful sea-plants. The special assistants in these various divisions will be hereafter mentioned.

B-INQUIRY INTO THE HISTORY AND STATISTICS OF THE FOOD-FISHES.

2.-OPERATIONS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1877.

It has been my pleasant duty, in all the preceding volumes of this series of reports, to acknowledge the hearty responses of the various departments of the government to that portion of the law organizing the United States Fish Commission which directs them to render to it such aid as lies in their power, all whose assistance has been invoked acting upon the spirit of the law, and without restriction to its mere letter. The Treasury, the War, and the Interior Departments all require especial mention in this connection. The co-operation of the Navy Department has been of the greatest importance by lending certain vessels not required at the time for the regular purposes of the department. These consisted of a small steam-launch in 1871, and the steam-tug Blue Light, a vessel of about 100 tons, in 1873, 1874, and 1875. No call was made upon the department in 1876, as no field parties were out during the summer of that year, my presence and that of my assistants being required in connection with the exhibits of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum, and the United States Fish Commission at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia. For the season of 1877, however, the assistance of Secretary Thompson, of the Navy, was invoked, and a larger vessel than the Blue Light was detailed by him for duty with the Commission. This was the steam-tug Speedwell, an iron propeller of 306 tons, with a powerful engine, and well adapted to her work. She was put in thorough order at the Portsmouth navy-yard, and reported for duty at Salem on the 31st of July. She had previously left Portsmouth, on the 20th of July, for New London, for the purpose of taking on board the stores of the Blue Light, the vessel previously employed, and of having the hoisting-engine of the latter transferred to her own deck. She also stopped at Wood's Holl, July 26, to take on board the other equipments and articles necessary for her service. The steamer was placed by the Secretary in charge of Lieutenant-Commander

A. G. Kellogg, with Dr. T. H. Streets, surgeon, Mr. A. V. Zane as chief engineer, and Mr. J. A. Smith, who had had much experience in scientific work on the vessels of the Coast Survey, as first mate. A detail of the necessary petty officers and seamen completed the personnel of the vessel.

The usual corps of specialists in science took part in the operations of the Commission during the summer. Prof. A. E. Verrill, of Yale, had charge of the marine invertebrates, assisted by E. B. Wilson.

Mr. G. Brown Goode, of the National Museum, assisted by Dr. T. H. Bean, superintended all matters connected with the fisheries. The laboratory and the dredging and trawling apparatus were in charge of Capt. H. C. Chester.

I reached Salem on the 3d of July, and was joined a few days after by the remainder of the force, the Speedwell not arriving, as stated, until July 31, before which date, however, a considerable amount of preliminary work was accomplished, especially in the collecting of statistics of the fisheries at Salem.

The Commission had a large number of visitors during the summer, many of them engaged in special research, for which ample material was furnished them by the collections of the Commission.

The usual routine of exploration was followed at the Salem Station, consisting of frequent trips of the steamer in various directions, during which the dredge and trawl were brought into requisition, and specimens secured of various marine animals and plants. Soundings were made, and their depth and character recorded, and an accompanying series of observations made upon the temperature of the ocean at various distances below the surface.

STATION AT HALIFAX.

On the 14th of August, for reasons to be referred to hereafter, I proceeded to Halifax, Nova Scotia, there to form a second station for the summer, arriving on the 17th. (I had previously dispatched Mr. Goode to that city to select suitable accommodations for the steamer and laboratory.) The steamer left Salem a few days later, and proceeded directly across, arriving on the 22d, and bringing with her the principal portion of the scientific corps. The occasion of the trip from Salem to Halifax was embraced to make numerous deep-sea investigations of the temperature of the water, the depth, and the animal life, resulting in the discovery of quite a number of new forms. A suitable berth and buildings for the service of the steamer having been engaged from Mr. Belcher, on Bennett's wharf, at Halifax, the sea work was continued with very little intermission until the 13th of October, when the vessel returned to Salem to complete some inquiries that had been commenced during the summer, and closing operations on the 24th of October, she proceeded to Portsmouth and went out of commission, having thus been in service since the 20th of July, or for rather more than three months.

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