New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-02
PROPAGATING FISH LIFE.
WORK OF THE UNITED STATES COM
MISSION.
LARGELY INCREASED CATCH OF SALMON h'"'
ON TIE PACIFIC CoAsT-PHAsEs OF

mission, showing n eaten ioT INC Sc"''' -
forty-eight million salmon eggs ian excess VI
twenty eight million eggs over any previous
season. calls attention to the thorough ana
systematic work which the United States Com
mission OF Fish and Fisheries is carrying on al
its various stations throughout the country AZ
the present time the number Of stations and
hatcheries situated at suitable places is twenty
Eve These are placed with referer ce to adapta-
bility for breeding and studying the many DIS
tinct varieties Of the fnny tribes AT WOODS
Hole and Gloucester. Mass. cod mackerei' ioo-
ster and other important marine species are
propagated. and the fry are deposited on 'he
natural spawning grounds along the coast Al
Battle Creek. Baird and Hoopa Valley, in eau
fornia; at Clackamas, In Oregon, and Little
White Salmon River in Washington. the eggs
OF the Pacific salmon are collected ana hatcheo'
and the fry are planted on the spawning
grounds Of the neighboring streams. the Al
lantc and land-locted salmon are cultivated IN
Maine at Craig Brook and Green Lake 10 re-
stock the depleted streams and lakes Of New
England and Northern New-York. ON the
great lakes at Cape Vincent. ~ Y; Put-in-B Bay.
Ohio: Apena Mich, and Duluth, Mimi. the
work Is with whitefish and lake trout in order
to sustain the great commercial fisheries con-
Quoted for those species lIatcheries In the IN
terror OF ST Johnsbury. VT: Wycherville, va;
Worthwhile. Mich; Manchester. Iowa; Bozeman'
Mont: Ncosho. Miss; quincy, ILL.,; San Marcos.
Tex. and Leadville. COLI are devoted to the
important work of maintaining In the inland
lakes and streams the supply Of brook trout.
rainbow trout. black bass. crappie and other
fish During the spring, on the Potomac. Della
ware and Susquchanna rivers. shad are Matched
and are distributed in suitable streams along
The Atlantic Coast.
DISTRIBUTING THE EGGS.
The next step. after the work OF collecting the
eggs, is their distribution, and for this purpose
the Commission has four cars specially equipped
with tanks. air-circulating apparatus and other
appliances. In the prosecution Of marine work
three vessels used. the steamers Albatross
and Fish Hawk and a schooner. the Grampus.
The Albatross is fitted with appliances for deep
sea dredging and collecting work. and Is used
for surveying md exploring ocean bottoms and
Investigating marine life. The Fish Hawk is in
reality floating hatchery, and is engaged in
Matching shad. Holsters and mackcrel in col |
leCting eggs and in distributing fry as well as
In making topographic surveys Of fishing
grounds This in the briefest manner possible,
describes the resources at the command Of the
Commission. A detailed description Of any one
station or any Of the vessels would form an in
teresting story in itself, but space is allowed
only for a general outline Of some Of the par
ticular operations carried on. While these are
essentially those Of the United States Commits
Sion they are usually the same as those en-
ployed by the state commissions and ndivi lual
fish cuturistS
THE SALMON
The five species Of Pacific Coas; salmon which
belong to the genus onchorhynchus the
most important group Of fishes entering the
rivers Of North America In recent years the
annual catch Of salmon in the Pacific States
and Alaska has been one hundred million
pounds with a first value Of S2,S0O,O00 Placed /
on the market in fresh sailed canned con-
dlti0n the value Is about 81, 1O0OO0. The yearly
catch Of about twenty-five million rounds of
salmon in British Columbia having "A value
when prepared Of S2,jWoDO, raises the approx +
mate annual value Of Pacific salmon to
$S2O000O
The quinnat salmon is the most important Of
salmon II is not only superior in food qualities. F
but attains vastly larger size has wider
geographical range and possesses a higher com /
mercial value than any Of the others. For can
ming purposes ii is unexccllcd. It's flesh is Of
a uniform rich red color. which it retains after ,
cooking In thd Yukon River qunnat salmon /
have been caught weighing one hundred pounds /
while in the Columbia River ii is not unusual To /
find them weighing high as eighty pounds .
Livingston Stone. superintendent Of United
States Fish Culture Station at Baird. CAL writ
ing on this subject says:
"ln view Of the enormous annual destruction .
Of this salmon for commercial purposes the ne
cessty for its propagation became manifest at .
an early period in the history Of the Pacific .
fshcri"s. Fortunately. the species is readily !
susceptible Of artificial propagation on large