charge of the seal islands of Alaska, together with copies of all instructions given to those officials aforesaid since January first, nineteen hundred and four, up to date, which relate to the condition and management of the fur-seal herd, the conduct of the officers of the Government in charge of it, and the conduct of the work of the lessees on the seal islands aforesaid, since January first, nineteen hundred and four, up to date. The correspondence and other papers called for by this resolution were promptly collected, and on June 24, 1911, were transmitted by the Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The material consisted of about 2,500 pages of manuscript, and was printed as House Document No. 93, Sixty-second Congress, first session (1,232 pages). The resolution was based on certain charges that had been made by outside persons affecting the administration of the seal islands; and the inquiry thereunder was assigned to the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor. The first hearing was held on May 31, and the investigation was in progress at the close of the fiscal year. APPROPRIATIONS. The total appropriations for the fiscal year 1911 amounted to $1,003,470, as follows: 8,000 Purchase of launch for Mississippi River (reappropriated). An itemized statement of expenditures authorized by the foregoing appropriations has been made, as required by law. RECOMMENDATIONS. RELATIONS WITH THE STATES. In its fish-cultural work in the various States the Bureau has no interests or purposes that are foreign to those of the States. In fact, all its operations are necessarily for the immediate benefit of the citizens of the States, and there should be the closest cooperation between the Federal and State authorities. Congress has imposed certain duties on the Bureau of Fisheries, and the fulfillment of those duties can best be achieved by the active support of the States. Most of the States fully appreciate the necessity for cooperation and act accordingly. Some, however, are pursuing a course which results in the practical annulment of all the fish-cultural efforts of the Federal Government and of local agencies, through failure to enact and enforce legislation the nature of which and the necessity for which are often most obvious, while other States that are and long have been large recipients of the Government's bounty have enacted laws or adopted regulations that have the effect, if they do not have the object, of handicapping and of making more expensive, and therefore less extensive, the fish-cultural operations evidently contemplated by Congress and determined on by the Bureau after full consideration. In previous years attention has been called to these matters, and the present report makes mention of some current phases of the subject. Under the circumstances that exist the Bureau has reason to feel that it is incumbent on the States, if they desire Government aid in the maintenance and improvement of their fisheries, to manifest it unmistakably by the repeal of inimical measures and by the enactment of proper legislation; to show some regard for the Bureau's recommendation in respect to laws which affect its operations; and at least to refrain from legislative and regulative acts that serve only to retard and embarrass. The Bureau has advocated and the Secretary has been pleased to recommend to Congress that all bills for the establishment of fish hatcheries in States contain the proviso that before any final steps shall have been taken for the construction of fish-cultural stations the State, through appropriate legislative action, shall accord to the United States Commissioner of Fisheries and his duly authorized agents the right to conduct fish hatching and all operations connected therewith in any manner and at any time that may be considered by them necessary and proper, any fishery laws of the State to the contrary notwithstanding. The Secretary has likewise accepted and has incorporated in communications to Congress the Bureau's suggestion that the operations of any hatcheries should be suspended by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor whenever, in his judgment, the laws and regulations affecting the fishes cultivated are allowed to remain so inadequate as to impair the efficiency of said hatcheries. Both of these provisions were approved by the Senate Committee on Fisheries. In the interest of closer relations with the States in this important work it is recommended that the foregoing provisions be adhered to and that every effort be made to have them enacted into law. FISHERY EXPERIMENT STATION AND LABORATORY. One of the most important needs of the Bureau of Fisheries at the present time is an experiment station for the study of fish diseases and the problems of fish breeding. This recommendation was the subject of a special message from the President to the last Congress and was embodied in a bill which was passed by the Senate. The Bureau is producing an annual output of young fish which would have, at the quotation of commercial fish culturists, a value of $1,000,000 in the hatcheries. Domesticated fish, like other domesticated animals, are subject to diseases not common to their wild state, and lack of knowledge for the prevention or cure of epidemics is the cause of serious loss to the public enterprise of fish culture. Not only this, but the most prevalent fish disease in the hatcheries is a thyroid tumor in trouts which has been shown to be of the same nature as human cancer. Although there is no evidence that cancer in fishes is communicable to man, the importance of pursuing investigation of the presumable common cause is self-evident in its humanitarian. aspects. From the fish culturist's standpoint the question involves the possible necessity of abandoning certain large trout hatcheries where the prevalence of disease has made the operations unprofitable. Of permanent importance is experimental work in fish culture similar to that conducted in plant and animal industry at agricultural experiment stations. What selective breeding has done for poultry, cattle, horses, and dogs, selective breeding may do for bass, trout, and other fishes, but this is a subject to which as yet no attention has been given owing to lack of facilities. The United States is far behind the nations of Europe in respect to this matter, notwithstanding that its fish-cultural operations are more extensive than those of all other nations combined. The experiments and investigations conducted to the small limit of the Bureau's present facilities are an indication of the possibilities and the urgent need of adequate means such as the station asked for would provide. PREVENTION OF FURTHER DESTRUCTION OF FISH IN IRRIGATION WORK. The heavy destruction of fish in all arid sections of the West where irrigation is a necessity is becoming alarming, and is a matter which requires serious consideration in order to secure the results which, under normal physical conditions, may reasonably be expected to follow the Bureau's efforts to maintain the fish life in streams, lakes, and reservoirs. Cooperation is eminently desirable between the Bureau of Fisheries and the Reclamation Service, in the exercise of influence to stimulate interest which will lead to the enactment of State laws compelling the screening of irrigation canals as a means of mitigating the destruction of fish life. A more effective and direct method of attaining this end, however, would be the passage by Congress of a law requiring that proper regard for the preservation of fish life be had in all irrigation work or projects to which Federal aid had been given. EXTENSION OF FISH-CULTURAL AND OTHER OPERATIONS. Previous recommendations for increased fish-cultural facilities are renewed, and especial attention is called to the desirability of having new stations in the Mississippi Valley, in the Southwestern States, and in the Pacific States. In addition to a fresh-water station in the last-named region, there is need for a biological station on the Pacific coast, where adequate facilities may be had for studies of the important salmon and other fishery problems, and where marine aquiculture may be taken up. At the laboratory and hatchery at Woods Hole, Mass., a special appropriation is required for new buildings, for extensive repairs to wharves, and for general improvements. Two new steel fish distribution cars are required to move the output of the hatcheries and to comply with modern traffic require ments, and a seagoing vessel is needed for use in connection with the marine hatchery at Boothbay Harbor, Me. An increase in the general appropriation for propagation of food fishes is urged, and is provided for in the estimates submitted, for the proper operation of new hatcheries on Puget Sound, for repairs and improvements to prevent depreciation of station property, for increased facilities, and for the natural expansion of operations. Owing to the approaching completion of the Fairport (Iowa) station and its operation on a large scale as a mussel hatchery and experiment station, a small addition to the present appropriation for the division of inquiry respecting food fishes is essential. PERSONNEL. In the estimates submitted to the Secretary for appropriations required for the operations of the Bureau for the fiscal year 1913, changes are made in the designation, compensation, and status of certain employees and provision is made for several new positions, for reasons that have been fully set forth and need not be reiterated here. Among these items that are strongly recommended are: (1) To change the title of chief clerk to assistant in charge of office and increase his compensation from $2,400 to $3,000 per annum; (2) to increase the salary of librarian from $1,200 to $1,500; (3) to establish in the division of fish culture the position of senior clerk, at $1,800 per annum, who shall act as special aid to the assistant in charge and relieve him of manifold routine duties; (4) to create in the division of inquiry respecting food fishes the position of fish pathologist, at $2,500 per annum, and to provide for one additional scientific assistant, at $2,000 per annum; (5) in the Alaska fisheries service, to increase the salaries of two physicians at the seal islands from $1,200 to $1,800 per annum and to raise the salaries of the wardens and four deputy wardens. The deputy commissioner, the agents at Alaska salmon fisheries, and the wardens in the Alaska fisheries service are now nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It is believed that these positions should be included in the classified civil service and be filled by direct appointment by the Secretary, and this recommendation is embodied in the estimates submitted. The Commissioner takes this occasion to express to the chiefs and subordinates in all branches of the service his appreciation of their loyal support and cooperation, which have resulted in efficient and economic performance of the duties imposed by law, and he renews the recommendation of former years for a general readjustment of salaries, so that adequate compensation, commensurate with individual responsibility and capacity and with changed economic conditions, may be given throughout the service. Respectfully, To Hon. CHARLES NAGEL, GEO. M. BOWERS, Commissioner. Secretary of Commerce and Labor. |