Public Document W No. 25 7 €t>e Commontoealtf) of jftaggatfyugettg ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Division of Fisheries and Game FOR THE Year ending November 30, 1925 1 1 Department '. ; of Conservation j\ -<•> ^ Publication of this Document approved by the Commission on Administration and Finance 00. 2-'26. Order 4198. CONTENTS PAGE General Considerations 3 Personnel 5 Finances 5 Conferences within the State 6 Activities outside the State 6 Acknowledgments 7 Enforcement of Laws 8 New Legislation 10 Education and Publicity 10 Biological Department 11 Wild Birds and Animals 12 Winter Feeding 12 Breeding Season 12 Fires 12 Posted Land 12 Migratory Birds 12 Song and Insectivorous Birds 12 Migratory Game Birds 13 Migratory Non-game Birds — Gulls and Terns 14 Federal Control of Migratory Birds J 4 Upland Game 13 The Hunting Season 15 Pheasant la Ruffed Grouse 15 Quail 16 Deer 16 Squirrels 17 Hares and Rabbits 17 Fur-bearing Animals 17 Enemies to Game 17 Reservations 18 Martha's Vineyard Reservation 18 Myles Standish State Forest 20 Penikese Island Sanctuary 20 Henry Cabot Lodge Bird Sanctuary (Egg Rock) 21 Isaac Sprague Bird Sanctuary (Carr Island) 21 Ram Island Sanctuary Mount Watatic Sanctuary Krjght Bird Refuge (Milk Island) 22 Reservations under SeHiwis 69-75, Chapter 131, General Laws . 22 Inland Fisheries ....'.* 23 General 21 Trout . : 2J Chinook Salmon 22 Pike Perch 23 WintbT Fishing and Pickerel 24 Bass 2j White Perch 24 Smelt 2k Horned Pout and Catfish 24 Ponds 2 Fishways 26 Pollution 30 C73 Jz- Propagation of Fish and Game . J0> 30 Fish Hatcheries and Game Farms 30 Field Propagation 37 Fish and Game Distribution 38 Marine Fisheries 42 Inspection of Fish 42 Commercial Fisheries Conference 46 The Deep Sea Fisheries 46 Shore Fisheries 54 The Lobster Fishery 54 Bounties on Seals 54 Mollusk Fisheries 54 Alewife 55 Appendix 57 €I)e Commonwealth of jmaggaclmjsettjS The Director of Fisheries and Game herewith presents the sixtieth annual report. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS When making the annual survey of wild life conditions in a given State it has been customary to report on the status and future possibilites of growih of the stock located within the boundaries of that particular State, giving little consideration to the national and international aspects of the problem, or the interdependence of the several States as bearing on the net result. There is no State in the Union which can practice this policy of isolation without endangering the welfare of the residents of that State for many generations to come. This is particularly true of Massachusetts. Ours is a small State with a great popu- lation. Its remotest sections are now- accessible with good roads. The collective affairs of civilization have so dismantled its forests, polluted its waters, and rendered sterile large areas upon which formerly the big game animals of the country roamed at will, that no longer can it be classed as a big game State. The fact that the moose, panther, black bear, wild turkey, and other species can not abide here has not caused our people to lose interest in these species wiierever found. There are still regions in the country sufficiently untouched by man, so that if a portion of them can be set aside as National or State ranges, practically all existing species of our big game and the larger game birds can not only be preserved from extinction, but increased in numbers to the point where they will continue to supply a fair volume of sport as well as being always available for inspection and study by those who do not care to hunt. These regions lie mostly west of the Mississippi River. The Federal government has taken steps to cause certain wild life sanctuaries to be established; and certain of the Western States have taken similar action on land not under Federal control. But it is not reasonable to expect these Western States, of vast size (as compared to our small State) and with far- flung, sparse populations (compared to the dense population of our State), to bear all of the financial burden of providing and administering such refuges. The de- partments of the Federal government having to do with wild life conservation are performing a splendid service on behalf of all the people, but the funds at their disposal aie totally inadequate. The same is true in those Western States wiiere the remaining unspoiled habitat of the big game is found. Upon looking at this question in the light of the developments of the next hundred years, it is evident that it is of as great concern to the people of our State whether the grizzly bear and the antelope are to become extinct as it is to the people occupying the States where the remnants of these animals are now found. Thousands of our people in years to come will want to see these magnificent animals, and it should be our concern to take part in any activities, national or regional, having to do with the perpetua- tion and increasing of these species, and to assume our share of the financial burden. 4 P. D. 25 The case of the migratory wild fowl is even more in point. Except for our native black duck we are entirely dependent on what takes place in other States and in Canada as to whether any of these birds will visit our State. When investigations now being made by the Federal government are completed, it will undoubtedly be apparent that Mexico, the Central American and South American States are also inseparably a part of the grand scheme of things. Twice a year we observe the inspiring phenomenon of a great variety of migratory birds drifting over the surface of our State while proceeding to or from the breeding grounds. In some instances we do not know whence they come. All we know is that somewhere, in regions outside of our State, they have tarried during the winter. In the following late summer and fall, clear through to early winter, we observe the return movement. The birds come to us from remote breeding grounds, some of them shrouded in mystery. But whether they come or not depends entirely on what takes place on the breeding and wintering grounds, and we, inside the boundaries of our small State, can do little or nothing to help control or direct the destinies of these birds — except in so far as we may restrain ourselves from taking them while they are within our borders. We are just beginning to realize that the policies of fifty years ago, which simply sought to bring back the vanishing supply of migratory birds through the expedient of prohibiting the taking of them, has been a mistaken policy. We are just realizing that other factors have been at work far more deadly than the gun. These factors can be grouped under the term "civilization." They have destroyed our forests, drained our swamps, polluted our waters, and settled up the country, resulting in the permanent destruction of vast breeding and feeding areas of these migratory birds. Every year sees further encroachments upon the breeding grounds of our native black duck. The same things are occurring in respect to all the other species of wild fowl which come to our State during a given year. By reason of the newness of the country, again it is found that the principal breeding and feeding areas lie in the great States in the north central and western parts. Our duty is to see that these areas are preserved and that others which have been destroyed are restored wherever possible. It is idle to talk of maintaining the present supply of migratory wild life and to build it up, while at the same time sitting idly by and permitting these producing plants to be dismantled and destroyed one after another. An inspection of the map of North America shows that during the winter these migratory birds concentrate in the narrow strip of country to the north of the southern boundary of the United States. Here in times past they have congregated in unbelievable numbers. But here again the hand of man is against wild life, for the reason that these natural wintering areas are being drained, and the possibilities of the regions for sustaining large concentrations of birds are being rapidly removed. These areas are our natural storage warehouses, in which stay the output of the breeding areas of the preceding summer, and if they are removed, the output from the producing plants will be destroyed. After all is said and done, the maintenance of this national asset calls for the application of fundamental business practices. It is not a matter of sentiment, and there is no mystery surrounding the problem. The people of our State cannot hold aloof from assuming their share of moral and financial responsibility in the application of those business practices. While the work should be under the Federal government in order to make certain of a national basis of action, nevertheless every State must assume its full share of the responsi- bilities. A pronounced decline in the numbers of birds would most quickly be felt in such purely migratory States as ours. But the final chapter of destruction, if it must come to that, will be written in the States where now the producing plants and storage areas are still to be found. Again it is of as much importance to the people of our State as it is to the residents of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, Nebraska and Utah that these producing plants be preserved. It is like- wise as important to our people as it is to the residents of Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina that the storage areas be preserved.