The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-09-12
THE STATE HATCHERIES
THREE or THEM IN OPERATION o.
THE COLUMBIA
Commissioner james Crawford Does
Not Expect TO See Another Poor
Season soon.

In conversation with a Tacoma Led
ger reporter the other day, State Com
missioner James Crawford said:
The run Of salmon was phenomenal
on the Columbia river this season.
From the past natural course of events
il was not expected, because only
about every third season on that river
has given d large run | attribute
this years agreeable surprise to the
good work done by the Oregon sal
mon hatcneries. The young fish they
turned out some years ago came to
maturity this summer and made their
way back toward their natural spawn
ing grounds. Their advent was the
cause of the extraordinary run. Now
that the state of Washington has
three hatcheries IN full operation ON
the Columbia river l do not ex-
pect to see another poor salmon sea-
son along that stream. The Fraser
river hatcheries which We're started
several years ago are giving grand
results this season, and verify, l be-
lieve the time Of short salmon sea-
sons and poor runs is at an end on
that stream as well. Soon there will
be an increase in the salmon that
yearly visit Puget sound and the peo-
pie of this district will learn to APP
preciate the value of hatcheries. The
salmon hatchery located at Parker's
lake, the head waters of a small
stream tributary to the Skagit river,
this summer by the state, is now run
ming full blast and will turn out 5,OOO,-
900 young fry next spring The fish
nf
sockeye variety, a red meated salmon
corresponding to and quite Identical
with the blueback species of the Co
| lumbia river. The fish for spawning
are taken from the stream by means
of traps and selnes There is dis
tinct popularity about the sockeye sal
mon, and that is they always spawn
in a lake. For that reason Bakers
lake was selected as the location for
the hatchery, instead of having it near
er the sound and in a more convenient
place.
There should now be hatcheries on
| the Nooksack, Puyallup and Snohom-
ish rivers. emptying into the sound.
| Salmon always return to their native
stream to spawn and so as to be fair
to all the propagation of fish on every
stream should indeed be extended by
artificial means. The time will come
when such steps will be taken both
| on the sound and along the Columbia
river.
1.-The cost Of maintaining salmon
hatcheries is as nothing compared with
the magnificent returns. In Oregon
there is one hatchery run on a tax
levied on salmon wheels and traps
The tax on the machines is but $40
! and 800 each, respectively. Efforts win
be made in the next legislature for the
authorization of the maintenance of
hatcheries on the Washington side OF
the Columbia river by this means. An
attempt will also be made to derive a
slight revenue from floating gear as
well as the traps and wheels.
"Our hatcheries on the Kalama and
Cowlitz rivers will turn out 10000 600
fry next spring. At Chinook, Pacific
county. where a station was establish
ed by the state for catching salmon tor
| spawning purposes, a hatchery has
been opened where the surplus fish are
| allowed to breed So many salmon are
taken there that it is impossible to
care for all at the regular hatcheries.
The Chinook hatchery will turn out
| 100000 next spring, swelling the
states product along the Columbia to
100000 The government is preparing
to put in a hatchery at Stevenson.
Skamania county. near the Cascade
rapids 1t will also put in another on
the Oregon side, to be located near
The Dalles. On the Columbia river
none but the Royal Chinook species
of salmon are bred artifcially.
by artificial propagation we are
able to successfully hatch from So 20
IS per cent of the eggs, whereas not
more than per cent ever produce
fish in the native spawning beds"