The number of tests made for the Government in the fiscal year 1910, exclusive of lamps inspected at factory, was 35 per cent greater than in the preceding year, and the number of tests for the public was 12 per cent greater, the increase in tests for both Government and public amounting to 27 per cent. The receipts for tests were as follows: Total receipts, 1910.. Received prior to July 1, 1909, for tests completed in fiscal year 1910. $577.21 $6,951. 89 136.00 Refunds.... 8.60 721.81 7,673.70 Received for tests completed, fiscal year 1908-9... Received for tests in progress at close of fiscal year 1909-10.. 124.40 368.17 Fees for tests completed, 1909-10...... 7,305. 53 FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The following statement shows the amount and object of each appropriation provided for the Bureau for the fiscal year 1910, the disbursement during the year, the amount of unfilled and unpaid orders at the close of the year, and the unexpended balance remaining at the close of business June 30, 1910: The following statement shows the condition of the appropriations for the preceding two fiscal years at the close of business June 30, REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, BUREAU OF FISHERIES, Washington, August 24, 1910. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the operations of the Bureau of Fisheries for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1910. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. This Bureau was organized as the United States Fish Commission in February, 1871, and on June 30, 1910, therefore, it completed the fortieth fiscal year of its existence. Originally clothed solely with functions of investigation and inquiry into the reputed or real decrease in the food fishes of the coastal and interior waters, it soon manifested that it could perform important service in actually increasing the supply of such fishes. In recognition of this fact acts of Congress from time to time have enlarged the functions of the Bureau until to-day the purely practical work of increasing and conserving aquatic food resources through cultural and experimental operations has become the dominant feature of the Bureau's activities. For a long while wholly relieved of executive control of the fisheries by reason of the constitutional reservation of that right to the States, the Bureau recently has been invested with the administration of the important fisheries of Alaska, including the entire control of the Pribilof Islands and the fur-bearing animals of the Territory at large. The steady increase in the volume and importance of the Bureau's work has been especially rapid in the past ten years, and the fiscal year just closed, which witnessed a drastic change in the control of the seal herd, has added considerably to the sum of the Bureau's duties. The probable adoption of joint international regulations in respect to the fisheries of the waters contiguous to our northern boundary presents the possibility of a great enlargement of the Bureau's executive functions in the near future. Each year brings increasing demands from the several States for aid and advice in respect to the drafting of laws and regulations, the establishment of state fishery services, and the best measures for the conservation and development of fishery resources, and the Bureau feels that its influence for good in matters relating to the fisheries is yearly becoming more important. The salient features of the work during the fiscal year are exhibited in the following pages. PROPAGATION OF FOOD FISHES. EXTENT OF WORK. It is gratifying to be able to record another successful year in fishcultural work. Methods have not varied appreciably from those of former years, and attention has been directed principally to enlarg ing the output. The widespread and increasing interest taken in the Bureau's work by people in all sections of the country and the growing conception of the benefits resulting from the stocking of public and private waters are manifested by the large number of applications for fish received during the year, the number being 10,635, an increase of 523 over 1909. Work was conducted at 35 permanent stations and 86 field and collecting stations, located in 32 States. With reference to the fishes propagated, the regular hatcheries may be classified as follows: Marine species, 3; river fishes of the eastern seaboard, 5; fishes of the Pacific coast, 5; fishes of the Great Lakes, 7; fishes of the interior, 15. The results of fish culture depend largely upon climatic conditions, the most elaborate and carefully executed plans ending in success or failure according to the state of the weather in the spawning season. In 1910 these conditions were generally unfavorable, resulting in the curtailment of egg collections of most of the important species, but cwing to the superior quality of the majority of the eggs obtained, the Bureau was able to exceed its record year of 1909 by nearly 125,000,000, or 4 per cent, the total output of fish and eggs being in excess of 3,230,000,000. This was accomplished without increased funds, the available appropriations being the same as in the preceding two years, and was made possible largely through the faithful and efficient service rendered by the Bureau's employees in their several lines of work. The following is a table summarizing the distribution of fish and fish eggs for the year. Of these, 443,627,631 eggs and 25,735 fish were delivered to various state fish commissions, and 600,000 eggs of salmon and trout were shipped to foreign countries. SUMMARY OF DISTRIBUTION OF FISH AND EGGS, FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1910.4 a This table shows the number of fish and fish eggs actually delivered at destination. (pamphlet) edition of this report, made up before returns were complete for losses in transit, shows gross output and therefore does not agree with these figures. Table in first |