The Forrest City times., 1897-01-08
FISH AND FISHERIES.
Annual Report of Commissioner
 Brice to the President.
ENORMOUS PROPAGATION OF SHAD.
Lobsters, Clans, Mack-rcl, Salmon and Other Food Fish Handled More Largely than Ever by Means
 of Systematic Work.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.--The annual report to the president of John J. Brice, commissioner of fish and fisheries, indicates how important the work of this office has become. No less than 14s. .OOO. .0o0 shad eggs were collected, and from these 93, 900, 900 fry were planted in streams emptying into the Atlantic ocean and the gulf of Mexico. The increase in shad eggs collected twas 100000 over the previous year, and if bill now before congress is enacted into law auxiliary stations will be established on most of the important rivers of the Atlantic coast, and result in an irn- mense increase in the output of this species.
 The output of lobster fry was e7,- COG, GOO, against 72, 900, GOO for the pre- vious year, and Commissioner Brice says there is little doubt that the out put in another year will be increased more than 100 per cent. While the att tempt to keep up the constan tly-de- creasing supply of mackerel along the New England coast was more or less experimental, 24,000, 900 eggs were col lected. Thirty-one million taut of clam eggs were collected in Buzzard's bay and l7,000,0O0 fry were liberated from them.
 According to the report great in- creases in the results at a large saving of expense were accomplished with reference to the salmon matching on the Pacific coast Temporary stations were esta blished on the Salmon and White Salmon rivers, both tributaries of the Columbia, to be operated in con- nection with the permanent station at Clackamas, Ore. While the cost of eggs per thousand at the Clackamas station had been S1 sl, they were obtained as low as A cents per thou sand at the Salmon river aux Hilary, and at the rate of II cents thousand at the Battle Creek auxiliary station. The total take of 37,pOO 600 salmon eggs amounted to three times as many as were ever collected before in the United States in any one season.
 1t is proposed to extend over the en- tire country permanent and eeouom- ical system of maintaining the com- mecial fisheries by grouping about the central hatcheries auxiliary egg-col- lecting stations, to be operated only during the spawning season. Another effort will be made to introduce Pacific salmon in eastern waters. To accom- plish this 5000, 900 eggs will be trans- ferred from the California stations to stations in New York, Vermont and Maine, and the fry liberated in the Penobscot, Kennebec. Merrimac, Hud- son, Delaware and Susquehanna riv- CTS. Attention has also been paid to increasing the output of Att lantic and andlocked salmon at the Maine stations, and indications point to a large increase over previous years. Lake trout eggs col lected will aggregate 1s,O00, 900 or 2O,- 900, 900. The cod work will surpass all previous seasons, and 225 1000, 900 eggs are expected. Eastern oysters and Holsters were planted in California and Oregon waters in October and dia- bond-back terrapin in San Francisco bay. Eggs of the steelhead trout, California game fish, have been planted In streams tributary to Lakes Superior and Huron and the Penobscot river.