Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-09-17
THE U. 5. FISH COMMISSION.
The Work of the Commission During
the Last Fiscal Year rIore Ex-
tensive and Important
Than Ever.

Than Ever.
GEO NJ. BOWERS, Commissioner.
The operations of this branch OF the
Government service during the last
fiscal year were in many respects
more extensive and important than
ever before, owing in part to the nat
ural growth of the work, and in the
greater efficiency in dealing with the
various questions and problems that
come up for consideration.
The propagation and distribution OF
food fishes, the branch which receives
most attention, was much more ex-
tensive than in any previous year, ex-
ceeding by about forty per cent the
work accomplished in any other SIM
liar period. The number of adult and
yearling fishes, fry and eggs distrib.
uted in public or private waters or
transferred to the state authorities
was over 500. 900, 900, of which by tar
the greatest number represented i'm
portant commercial species, like the
shad, cod, white fish, salmon, fiat fish,
lake trout, herring, pike perch, and
lobster. In the distribution of this
enormous output from the hatcheries
to the waters to be stocked, the cars
and messengers of the Commission
travelled over 22o, 900 miles, entering
every state and territory.
The number of Matching and sub
stations operated during the year was
thirty three, located in nineteen states.
New hatcheries at Manchester, Iowa:
Bozeman, Montana; and Erwin, Tenn.
were completed and operated for the
first time, and station of the Cali
fornia Fish Commission, located on
Battle creek, tributary of the Sacra.
mento, was acquired At this place
the largest collection of salmon eggs
known in the history of fish culture
was made in the fall of 1897. The
construction of new stations author
lied by Congress was begun in New
Hampshire, Georgia and South Da
kota.
An important new feature of the
fish cultural work was the Matching
of one and a half million fry of the
grayling at the Bozeman Station.
The Matching of the wall-eyed pike
or pike perch, which had been discon-
tinued for several years, was resumed
at the Putin Bay Station, Lake Erie,
in the spring OF 1898, and 81, 600, 600
fry were planted in the public waters.
This is one of the most valuable food
fishes OF the Great Lakes, and the
fishing interests are very anxious that
the Government should keep up the
supply.
Especially worthy of mention was
the immense extension of the salmon
Matching work on the Pacific coast
The enormous annual catch in that
region makes it absolutely necessary
that the supply should be kept up by
artificial means. The work Of the
Commission is very popular in the
West, and its value is generally rec
ognized by the salmon fisherman and
Gamers.
Although there are several desir-
able species of salmon in the Pacific
rivers, the Commission gives princi-
pal attention to the chinook or quin-
nat salmon, magnificent fish, which
attains an average weight OF over ten
pounds, and sometimes specimens are
taken weighing upward of seventy
pounds.
The establishment of a station in
Washington will enable the Commits
sion to pay attention to the next inn
por tant species, the blue backed sal
mon or red fish (Indian rame, sock
eye, which is especially valuable to
the Puget Sound region.
Some light has been thrown on the
results of fish-cultural work on the
West coast by the recent capture of a
considerable number of large salmon
with their soft dorsal fin missing.
These are fish that were liberated from
the Government hatcheries about
three years ago, when they were un-
der year old. after having their adj
pose fin neatly shaved off with razor.
Commissioner Bowers has evinced
lively interest in the scientific work
of the Bureau, and under his admins
tration a number of important inves.
legations have been carried on. Among