BAS SNS wz aerate ‘ SESS fannts HARVARD UNIVERSITY. LIBRAKY OF THE MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. DAVEE MN US QA, State of Hhode Jsland and Lrovidence Plantations FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS. OF INLAND FISHERIES MADE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT ITS January Session, 1914 PROVIDENCE, R, I. E, L, FREEMAN COMPANY, STATE PRINTERS 1914 il lien i. EP, nF WwW Vi INN ROMA dil ee MW Af teen . EEA OONE HT OT di cr ' Y JAMinte AAMAS eh you COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. CHARLES W. WiLuarp, Westerly, President. DaniE. B. Frearine, A. M., Newport, Vice President. WitiiAmM H. BoarpMan, Central Falls, Secretary. ADELBERT D. Roperts, Woonsocket, Auditor. THEOPHILE GUERIN, Woonsocket, Treasurer. Witu1amM P. Morton, Providence. Isaac H. CLARKE, Jamestown. DEPUTY COMMISSIONERS. Witu1am T. Lutu, Newport, Chief Deputy. JAMES HARRINGTON, Newport. JEREMIAH B. ALLEN, New Shoreham. ANDREW V. Wiu.is, New Shoreham. SUPERINTENDENT OF HATCHERY AND EXPERIMENT STATION. Earnest W. Barnes, Wickford. he if hacia ae, ae tet es a ; eee Oe 1 ‘ac hale sae aed an hit is ‘Wa Lio Aha tot ht ih syst att aces ; eV nyfal bee? Laretint4 Wn? basil, wd abr ae | | ae attey | bins re ese ee ae ? pera t stl inate “eed Gieewpay S , ‘ s ’ ’ ; 7 nn i re. ) r a P l?r'fege * aL ad i? lot fe ; % + PEA Ve rhe -) Ata ial ea | TAA) re ; . i Thode toate ae Ee Te AMRTUMER Eee ee ee Lk | ere ea aac Hipatndts sea, ens) Ale nie - riya! cred War, Hhglirk ) wis eh é : | OVA Te YASMIN de) TR i tis) ait { Yo st fp : - ¢ REPORT To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, at its January Session, 1914: The Commissioners herewith present their forty-fourth annual report, for the year 1913, which contains, as required by law, data and statistics with respect to the fisheries under their jurisdiction and such recommendations as they deem expedient. The fisheries in general have been in a quite prosperous condition. Especially can this be said of the lobster industry. Not only has there been a marked increase in the number of pounds taken from the waters of the state, but there has also been a great increase in the average number of pounds per lobster pot. This gain is due largely to the persistent enforcement of the lobster laws and to the rearing of young lobsters at the State Hatchery at Wickford. It is the sincere hope of your Commissioners that the laws regu- lating the general fisheries may be put in the same effective condition as those relating to the lobster industry. At present they are ambiguous, difficult to enforce and in many cases obsolete. Your Commission recommends that a committee be appointed from your honorable body to assist them in drawing up new laws which shall give the proper protection to these fisheries. Considerable interest has been shown by sportsmen in this section of the country in the possibility of establishing rod and reel fishing for tuna in Block Island. Your Commission is very much interested in the matter and is doing all in its power to encourage it. More extended references to this valuable fishery is made on page 30 and following. 6 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. The work of the Commission has followed the usual lines as outlined below, more detailed statements will be found in the body of the report. The stocking of fresh-water ponds and streams. The enforcement of the laws relating to fresh-water fishes. The purchase of egg-bearing lobsters. The employment of deputies to enforce the lobster laws. The rearing of lobsters to the bottom-seeking stages. The gathering of data and statistics with respect to the food-fishes. The codperation with fisheries authorities of neighboring states and abroad. Occasion is here taken to thank the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company for its courtesy in granting free trans- portation of fry and messengers. The financial statement for the year 1913 is as follows: State of Rhode Island in account with the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries. . DEBIT. 1913. Dec. 31. To expenses of the Commissioners from January 1, to December 31;1913......... $838 20 To expenses and services of deputies under the law from January 1, to December 31, HOLS. wastes satan al ads cake ery 3,491 80 To purchase of boat for deputies, 1913...... 1,000 00 To expenses at the Wickford Hatchery and Experiment Station, January 1, to Decem- ber OleliO1S patel). She». fainlake 9,020 54 To purchase of Egg Lobsters............... 1,707 40 $16,057 94 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. € CREDIT. 1913. Dec. 31. By received from the State Treasurer....... $16,057 94 Amount received for 295 lobster licenses, at $5.00 each, as per receipts from the State Treasurer. . . $1,475 00 Respectfully submitted, CHAS. W. WILLARD, DANIEL B. FEARING, WILLIAM H BOARDMAN, Secretary. ADELBERT D. ROBERTS, THEOPHILE GUERIN, WILLIAM P. MORTON, ISAAC H. CLARKE, 8 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. STOCKING FRESH-WATER PONDS AND STREAMS. The number of brook trout distributed by your Commission in 1913 was somewhat under normal owing to the extremely low state of the ponds and streams. The continuance of dry seasons accom- panied by extensive deforestation has made it necessary for the Commission to exercise great care in distributing fish. Streams which were formerly well adapted for brook trout have become unsuitable because of high temperatures and low waters during the summer season. In addition to brook trout a considerable number of white perch were put in suitable places last year. The majority of the fish were well filled with spawn and were liberated a short time prior to the spawning period. The fishing in streams previously stocked by your Commission was quite successful in 1913, especially for large-mouthed black bass and trout. The latter owing to the abuses of excessive fishing and unfavorable seasons were not very plentiful, but those caught were unusually large. Fishing for large-mouthed black bass in the Paweatuck and its tributaries was continued with increasing success. THE COLLECTION OF DATA AND STATISTICS RELATING TO THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. Every effort has been made to make this branch of the Commis- sion’s work reliable and trustworthy, but as mentioned in previous reports, the absence on our statute books of laws making returns compulsory has prevented us from making this data complete. GENERAL CONDITIONS OF THE FISHERIES IN 1913. In general, the fishing in Narragansett Bay in 1913 was a little better than that of the previous year, but not above the average. Small scup and small butterfish were quite plentiful asin 1912. Trash COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 9 fish, such as are used as bait, were also quite abundant. Especially noteworthy was the fact that striped bass and young pollock were caught well up the Bay, a quite unusual thing for recent years. Hand-line fishing, both within the Bay and off Newport, was well above the average, especially the tautog fishing off Newport. The first catch of these fish in Rhode Island waters was made in the fyke nets on April 2nd, but there were none caught by hand lines until April 19th. In the off-shore traps the general fishing was excellent. This statement is especially true with reference to the scup fishing which was far ahead of any recent year, both in the length of run and the number of fish caught. The following tables of the shipment of sea products from Newport are submitted as heretofore. The large gain in the number of fish shipped is due almost entirely to the extraordinary run of scup. 2 10 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. TasBe I. Table Showing the Amount of Fish, Lobsters, and Other Sea Products Shipped Monthly from Newport by the Principal Transportation Companies During the Year 1918. 1913. Barrels Fish. 1,48114 1,959 1,074 2,24416 15,878 12,7861% 3,904 2,87014 4,649 3,854 6,303 3,049 60,053 Barrels Lobsters. 1,983 | @ rl hace a ale gn = & -Q a4 mie Seas ome ©), | sO 2 |e ht n n 5 2 ne olo0|a/]2 ite Hl Ee] @| & |ee Gs 3 =] Gs ym |e a ie 32) 24) | See E Ala lel es] mead DO alos 5 Gly col hires areal ney) 4}... Till 6 Sl Noell eall|ee 3 30) 29 AlN SOlmn2ie 4 CHEN GH 5 salle 495). 3}. | 27| 693] 17| 5) 54 a! n | Me a icles Oo nM i) 5 E | Gs =} a |24 3 24).. 7 14 13 34 36 6 11 6 4 3 7914| 60 Barrels Mussels. Seeeee ee eee 14416 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. TaBLe II. 11 Table Showing Shipment of Fish, Lobsters, and Other Sea Products from Newport for the last Twenty-Seven Years. US8%isa1 1888... 1889... 1890... 1SSh... . 1892... 1893... 1894... 1895... 1896... 189 ge 1898... 1899... 1900... 1901... 1902... 1903... 1904... 1905... 1096. . 1907... 1908... 1909... 1910... HOT. 5. 1912... 1913... Total. . Barrels Fish. 16,657 15,033 19,306 8,933 18,032 26,832 24,452 17,769 24,622 20,425 52,098 34,065 34,917 38,184 50,500 53,986 54,384 62,106 50,127 60,955 59,674 48,814 46,031 53,154 39,141 56,325 60,053 1,046,575 i % CW eal ee Blea is S |a/ 6 soem aes Sida egal cme, sley (ste eee 2 a 2,047 2,650 2,204 2,123 WEG: Le lbh mgt eae ae 2 27 a A ee Oe eel eee 6 2,039 TENG | aad eg 4,143 ACTOR: alt 5 oes 4,393 4,342 1,474 84 1,921 45 977 122 1,3063/233) 17 1,529 322 2,5173 287 3,2523 145 427 112 2,281 50 1,465 38 1,983} 27 58,6643|233) 1,250 | Barrels Clams. | Barrels Spawn. 13 Number Horse- mackerel. | Barrels Turtles. | Number Sharks. é |" 2 n i138 2 |e 3 oe?) + “ent \| 2 al al Zo ls E| 2/3 a | 2a g Q|24 J 143) 45 74 162 166 21, 179 164) 11 554! 23) 723) 26 6| 811) 11 24) 263] 13 21) 198 29 61} 6 5 38) 17 4) 509) 56 321| 14 60) 17 112} 4,492/174 1,019|193 123 3 8 o ° we 5) a) 2 Pilea or Mesaalo n 2\3| 2./4/ 3 B/E) & || 3 Sla|l a rey pd Zio] a |O|e al Slepeios egal yee Teal Reeder a 1 112 18). 673) 794| 42) 5 726) 71| 1 980/255) 38 693) 1444 2/18! 3,996 368) 1883 4 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. THE LOBSTER INDUSTRY. The early part of the lobster season was poor and continued so until the latter part of July, when remarkable catches were made. The total number of pounds of lobsters caught in Rhode Island waters in 1913 was, 1,210,094 pounds, nearly double that of 1912, and the average number pounds per pot increased from 438 to 69. This extraordinary increase in a well established fishery is attributed to the enforcement of the lobster laws and to the rearing of lobsters at the Wickford Hatchery. The fishermen have continued to report a great abundance of small lobsters, especially in those parts stocked by the Wickford Hatchery. The following tables have been compiled from data furnished for the greater part by William T. Luth, Chief Deputy Lobster Com- missioner. At the conclusion of these a list of the licensed lobster men is given as prescribed by law: TaBLeE III. Table Comparing the Number of Pounds of Lobsters, Number of Pots, and Average Number of Pounds Per Pot, for the Years 1904-19138. Total | Number Sven al Pome | rae |, of Raia. “Pounds OA: sade Yaveis ss Yat oeye/o i GNeT9 a8) 2 CTR ANCES ee sales PNT Fo eh 376,994 226,994 7,935 45 1 Lo US RA ats Severs Pt tite eee &.c aeecaee o nid eee 6 A 448,300 301,659 9,180 48 LOOG! 57. SR ER = poyeinte ctaahe c Peete ats che See aeiers athe 671,914 353,573 11,355 59 LOO seis Ryans wloxch orcs fe, vo Rs cited Oo ae 929,423 581,189 12,104 76 AOS Es 5 tysin a twlatoretste «fhe wide Oe Oe sce 1 POM ysis kare 1,471,344 665,009 20,011 73 QOD ese thts chests side doo OU eo acs ede ents 1,342,983 757,837 23,220 57 UOTOUS.. B08 oo levsesrcre = at che toe © =, ci Role aloes 833,683 489,815 22,091 37 SW Cis eo a th oh co RS 891,886 513,076 23,294 38 Ne SS habehels toseyoad von (ate Wtcts Bret RRET: aah Mis, Ok tate ve fo enone 745,257 372,726 17,259 43 NOS sR TAS wc becordiat cate ea ore so Renae AO Siok teens 1,210,094 520,962 17,335 69 13 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. #60'01G'T 000°001 000‘00T 00092 €o¢'T9 6LL'TS 009‘88T G9E'ZEE “ST6T | LGS‘ShL |988'TS6 |SEz'sbS |66'ZHE'T |18s'TSE'T | O28‘TL O18'Z6 008 ‘FS SE OO sella tae ae 000‘96T |O00'6ST |008‘09T |000'9E% joEgE'sts 8h0'6F 000‘'F8 C8L‘09 LOT‘T6 FZL'98T 8T9‘S¢ 00089 se0'L9 TEZ‘T6l |STs‘T6T OS9'EST |FLE'ZST |OFI'SFI |ZeT'SSt |e9z‘OOT 910616 |ZOL‘O6E |EZ9'TSE |GOZz'sLZE |9FL‘FSS “GIGI ‘TI6I ‘O16T “6061 “S061 SEF'6G6 = |FI6‘TL9 000'SST |000'EST EFS E6L | TPE‘E9T FI9'80L |§TZ‘LOT GLS'ZLE —-|098°S FZ “LO6T “906T 008 ‘66F 000‘00T 19°16 GES ‘SST LEV'6LT *SO6T F66'9LE 000‘0ST 00S°6L FOP LET (‘eA0qe Ul popnpouUt You) syayxIeUI 10430 (Q]BSajoYA) Jol JosueselIeN (9[eSoTOyM) TH Yow MA (eecorepescerne bat (afer oq aitatiacnee (2[esejoYM) pursy xorg Pictinctaaneenrnd a8 (Giessen) uapanaares | Sere eee eS @ieteon) en woe | Sepa e nok, Maer (e[Bs9]oYM) Jolg josueseisie Ny (e[esejoys) puvysy Yoorg (a[BSefoyM) WOJIOATT, (a[esafoyM) Jouuoyeg *([VeJe1) JIOdMaNy (ayesefoyM) Jlodmony “FOBT ‘SLEMUVI, HSTT “SI6I-VOGT 8va X ay} sof punjs] apoyy ur jybnvg s1ajsqoT fo spunog fo aquny 2Y,], “AJ DIsv L 14 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. TABLE V. Number of Pots, Boats and Men Engaged in Lobster Fishing in the State of Rhode Island for 1918. Location. Men. Boats. | Pots. Blockalslang op. cs cisceis cictes Splsatan 's sinve s cise ie tee eisele Meet ereee 72 38 5,450 IBTISGOl Sie eter salasetass eicrsvetors o ovouateke = steve lorny ate e¥e ols crsearane ev dureretele mieeinc ters 8 U 480 A HArlestOwI\.: ssieteioe sc hlsyls atetesee ere etelaiclersiaic e.eieieretei aier) iciental craves 5 3 150 Va bom 527.752 & leralosore roierciotors softs oiete cic oxvetevareletorsisiaielelete ress ereistctoiets ie 2 2 140 SJAIMESEOWH sh.055 o/ishe, 1010/0) <1< 0/2 ais faveheysrs/ ayers olasev= hwiel a lelenere) aleteietetererepers ons 10 10 410 Tittle! COMPTON yao. ctor) cto) atereve etoreie evel sysictats aloha cisieieente te etic nine 10 10 384 IVIt ATE EO WIN sje er ene cic cies, «01s, eve%e (ol stava'ay syn oayeks tie evetels cleler sietenesatetewersie 5 5 260 INE a Gree tn) San ooiss abbpdormadenonc cobobuddaom 7aacoce jack c 27 23 1,361 INK) 1010) 4 Ree ee Ea OC ORE Oe ARO AoE GS orn ac Std Bam cok 79 66 4,680 IEEE (0b are mtas cn Ona DOR Oran occa ous ete isp ater eine 7 5 287 PLA VOTLOM se uses se eval coterstn ate ereratoees relate slov chs) o/eile oseistsiere ones otayste sie eectaie 10 10 462 VU) to Bee Ree Aras Aree OMI c CMCMeE Toccata cme Aeron A 13 8 626 WERO sbi Lowe adoppHidoca toad bose “oC sadacoce cus DO aGrNAGEs 2 2 52 WWVALTOT Goi 5.5 Bene, Seei's ti ofesejere store usa dsiarelens vere leis els isie eleVaieis:sueiersYoraleleraleipicrt’s 8 6 666 \NGSIG Sd \gaiate dt ociABO ne aA bio Boland e Gaba sBenbisc oan doucenadra.c 13 11 880 AWWA CISEONG /ayesc urease: eet vevelore cassis erepera ints fe ctctetstere elctere isiciaie hese rerateleres estate 2 2 50 OtheriPla cess tyetic itn scree cvestr rere orciete ie olayniclets| 816) rere eye te yw arse itera 11 9 502 ROCA) vas ja eh vodevereiete reseteassere ic) heres jetste.e wisi kone svessoeralevareiois eres erste sess 295 227 17,330 *In addition to these a few boats were fishing just beyond the three-mile limit. The bulk of their lobsters were brought into Rhode Island. COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. List of Lobster Licenses Granted in 1913. TiNon Name. Location. eeevoseph Io, Batonyo2. o. 64646 ves 25 Se spews Saunderstown. EP loseph Litatam cl¥.n. 5 a5 ¢o755 of 2452 lke y ao Henry heigptletield. . 5.53.65. 245252985: Block Island. Ae Vier. 3 S3 ay 64 6 ee 2a oe 5 oR Tiverton. Re mGnmimPelObeMaray Cyc ers 6 feeb ene les ke ‘ ie UR cot) 3 ies | Doe (a ar Block Island. members Bomb. sess osc diy sh oe eRe Oe DETERS (00 17] 7 AU ae a f i Nia eel aha) D (00 0: ae on oP ne ‘A iieeeroniiece A. heanphear, 3 ),'46 .o5 6 f 44 eke Westerly. eee enw MOUSE, 2s 6 pe ce yb 5 ye. et Block Island. i. sNicholastPnematikos .........4.3,.....eds) Newport. fiemesiberrWarsmith. . 5. yss.45.5-c42 enw hiet Block Island. fon Georce Masmith : 65.440 4<4 456445 en8 4008 % Pr vermoner.)bittleneld: oo 4c6.6.a40040dlee ae ier lereae ntieneld:. soo a2, 43,4445. 48eRebh a 1. VSamue? Re Littlefield, 2nd....>.,.... 02. babs: *s “ES Loic 3) Seg GTA! (6 i ern coe "§ Bee Mouse bin Wenee hs. i5..e¢25 os05505008 iy Se SIMON SAMOS. 6 2:6 <8) 5. 240,44 elen CREE e “As SSDI Od be \951 27 (a a ane “ Pom centce. Wille Oh. 3.6 008.5. oan ddante Es Boe monannes JACOWSOM: << .s., 42,4 53,452,0..0445.¢ i Bu elonraraeMIBNel.. 2.0. c05 ned sida he ck.... cc.) .acac inane East Providence. Irvang IVE. Baltes tix Gewcrect ks ahaha Vora 7asaeey een Wakefield. i Ger 21a D0 921g: ee i IB erie EDs Ge bcos Peles Pian s -212-o caries end Block Island. Sliecsbaeame EE NI Arv 13). cacveTe ince Ae) essakavork osron's 64S Newport. "ET BAS BCS LR es Sa eRe CR SC te POTRELTES Wet CCW £0 haxcwsetrcs.baissseetacebabanshs OA Baste 45 DMV TALS ECW - 365 pot , oe eeete Tiverton. @larencecdHs Wing | oo... 5 See. «e's, aes Jamestown. /OICE EY AVG C82) rr ee Newport. Cranes wababcock yi yee dys cs ee Peacedale. Nicholicvatilagy nly icy.o 5. sag 2's ios sae Newport. iNMPaagiin Meh@mipPSON... . css~ dis ee cs see te Hh Prudence Island. iakemcw NW ILGOX 22 ooops ty 4 ba ge Tiverton. HickwWarGeDeEGONIN sk ong oem jl ye es Bristol. Perel MROPbEE: 254.0 soe a3 ale «oss * Dutch Island (eaieiod Sens hy as ee ee Pe Jamestown. Pye Weilivaly We) Gu) aisee, ola oe cman. ae rh Pitea eemuemmes eae Newport. GiramleswGniGalloway.. «6. 44)s/6. 4. encanto oe Bema sGhNSOM. ..25% ce dys se ast q Rucalph Schadey. 5 sees. ca. sess waiide Jamestown. Bemiaraeivignmmiiy = 5, asc) ss, o4)«, «/-, see Y Newport. NUOTINE ai 221 Bcicih dg: ee ee Be Narragansett Pier. =e EPs Te 101 ats aD NU ap Newport. Noha) Wont ila oi ioe al dn dives «YOR 3 sain SC Vere. ene a aks ch leet! Narragansett. Pier. ISI SLY OM i Se aga en eee as 22 License No. 320. O21. 322. 320. 324. 320. 326. 328. 329. 330. 332. 330. 336. 337. 338. 039. 340. 343. 344. 347. 348. 349. 300. dol. 307. 360. 361. 363. 364. 365. 366. 367. 368. COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. Name. Location. Horace eT Wiebsteria 24.7 nkeee Sela ee Wakefield. Nicholas "Petiibised i ed odan aes ee Jamestown. Arthas Wh vents. 3.6.5.0. 0e 588 ee ee Westerly. Wallis Smiths sues end ese: OUR Oakland Beach. Herbertaicors jos 2 2 bas shed a ee Charlestown. Gye OPe VAL COX i isey cer ayelan ats aes ous! aes eae a SlephenMOM Pecicham ser. 42/0 <4 AUS LD RUIN Soy 2020-8 Won ade hr on) Block Island. Perey. (Brownell: pda nos ws ah Portsmouth. Phomas cE Georwe a. 4.40.04 4G oe se ee Jamestown. TCH ORyr HN OLESS. «65 0k Sapo ow a etd a eee Newport. JAE HUES A UBIASERE. 6+. se. erect aueiateeanen slant 1 Maxare iEvmoendanst;. <. k...\.+« horn + act ch nen Bristol. Josep hvEe Gham liaise ..5 os. Sine fake Charlestown. OtisiEbathawaye & cles. ea eee Block Island. JOEATROW TERRA WS Wh tele pce ara ct hie A Middletown. Ebenezer @rowelll 5 Wis eo oo aes o cee ate Conimicut. Byeretient alley si. Wahl easel oe Block Island. Patric kerio tlons, as . = - os SSA IN rela eee, 155453 fy ; yy ee ety JF By