The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07
Fish Culture In the United states.

Few persons arc aware what efficient Of
forts are now making toward the distribution
and propagation Of food fishes in American
lakes and rivers. The process 81 restocking
our waters with edible varieties once abundant.
but now relatively scarce. has for some years
been actively iurthered by the Legislatures Of
several Of the States. and more recently the
general Government has co6perated in the I'M
deraking through a so-ralled Fish Commits
sion. from whose lately published report we OBJ
tain some interesting particulars.
The original object of tho net creating this
commission was 10 investigate the diminution
Of food fishes, aud the proper methods of re-
storing their supply. Such an inquiry requires
II thorough knowledge Of NIL tho conditions.
physical and biological. Of the waters and their
inhabitants, together with accurate statistics.
covering term Of years, as to the catch In a
gives stream. We may mention that similar
researches. commencing at about the same
date. 1871. have been carried on by the German
Government but neither in Germany nos here
have the data FOR a final decision been attained.
although a large amount Of Information. theo-
rcticaly and practically important has been
collected. 1t appears. too. that. notwithstand-
ING the attention which the art OF fish culture
has received in Europe. this country has had
little occasion 10 adopt foreign processes On
the contrary. continual applications are making
for descriptions. drawings. and models OF
American apparatus.
In the second year II the new commission nm
additional feature WAS ingrufied. that, namely.
OF the actual multiplication OF edible fishes by
means Of artificial Matching. and their intro
duction into depleted waters. The propriety OF
such function being assumed by the general
Government is. Of course. questionable enough
but there is no doubt that the work 50 far ac-
compllshed in the why OF propagation has had
the effect OF exciting wide interest and increased
activity on the part Of Stntes and private asso-
Citations. 1t appears than an enormous ana
constantly growing correspondence is main
tanned by the central bureau with all parts OF
the country, embracing applications for young
fish. Inquiries rs 10 tho right manner Of stock
ing certain waters. thu arrangements requisite
for the safe transfer Of the fry. AMI their intro
duction into suitable localities. This implies a
very considerable and onorous amount Of Office
work while the field work Of the commission
which was formerly confined to the summer
now covers almost tho whole year-thn Matching
of shaI. for instance. employing tho months
from March until August. while the propagI-
tion Of California. Prnobs'ot or the so-calcd
andlorked" salmon. anI Of whitcilsh occupy
the remainder OF the year.
1t seems that at the outset OF its operations the
Fish Commissioner and his assistants were ac-
eustomed to make their own selections Of fitting
places for the deposit OF tho young fish With
the rapid expansion. however, in the number OF
state Commissioners the responsibility hns boon
shifted. the cggs being nov forwarded directly
10 the latter persons from the United States rs
adjustments, aud hatched out ut the expense OF
the State or private subscribers. certain
amount OF dlstr button is performed 10y mem
bers OF Congress, especially in those districts
whore fish culture is in its infancy. From a
table publish" in this report AMI showing thu
number ani ohint ~ Npa,. tUnus durin, srv-
oral years, it appears that tho California salmon
is in greatest ro1uost, AMI next tho shnd. So
lar the operations OF the commission have been
almost entirely confined to tho so-caled
anadromous species, or those fishes
which. although born in tho upper waters
OF rivers. receive there but small part o
their growth, Hni ait'r few months soiourn
lescund 10 the ocean and there remain until
maturity. a term in most cases covering four
years. After this they return to their starting
point solely for the purpose Of reproduction.