The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Fisheries, Bureau of

FISHERIES, Bureau of, a branch of the Department of Commerce, and originally of the Department of Commerce and Labor, before its division into separate bodies, 4 March 1915. Directed by a commissioner, its chief purpose is to foster the national fisheries principally by the propagation of food-fishes and the inspection of commercial fisheries. Situated in 32 States, 32 fish hatcheries and 92 auxiliaries and egg-collecting stations, cooperating with State fisheries commissions, carry on the propagation of food fishes, and also biological research and experiments for the promotion of scientific knowledge concerning fishes and marine animals. The total output of fishes and eggs in a recent year amounted to 3,687,535,911. Applications in the interests of more than 10,000 different bodies of water were received for fish for stocking purposes. The Alaska salmon and fur-seal fisheries have received considerable attention, especially for the development of the territorial fur resources, the annual value of which has reached $370,500. Consult ‘Department of Commerce — Annual Reports’ (Washington, D. C.).