Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-01
The Fish Commission.

The Fish Commission.
Washington, June z7.-The work Of
the Fish Commission is practically com-
pleted for this year. According to the
official of the commission, when the re-
ports are sent in July +. they will show
that ii has been the most successful year
in the history of the commission. The
great bulk of the work has been in the
collection and distribution Of the eggs and
fry of commercial food fish, and this year
more cod, white fish, pike, perch, bass,
flat fish and lobster have been planted
than ever before. Fully as many shad
have been planted this year as last, when
the high water mark in shad propagation
was reached. The great commercial value
of the work done by the Fish Commits
sion can best be illustrated in the case of
shad. The catch of shad in 1855 was
5,ooo, COO. The systematic collection OF
eggs and distribution of shad fry since
that year have increased the catch annual
ly, until this year it reached 100000
an increase of $50 per cent. in fourteen
years. AT the same time the cost of shad
has been decreased to the consumer more
than 90 per cent. The value Of the catch
! this year was upwards Of 100000. This
result has been obtained by the commits
sion with a total expenditure Of $42, 900.
So successful was the experiment made
several Years ago for the introduction OF
shad and striped bass on the Pacific coast
that the planting of those two food fishes
on that coast has been suspended. The
/ shad catch onthe Pacific now ranges be-
tween one and two million annually. The
| total coast of introducing the shad into
! Pacific waters was about S. 900. SO plen-
| tiful now are the striped bass in the Pa
! citic coast streams since their introduce
ton that they can be purchased in the
markets OF the coast cheaper the year
round thanin the Eastern markets. When
| they were FIRST introduced they brought
/ one dollar pound.
The work at the California stations this
year has been confined to the propagation
Of the commercial salmon and the sockeye
steel bead trout. Over 100000 eggs
have been distributed from these stations.
From the FIVE Oregon stations on the
Columbia River 100000 fry have been
planted in the Pacific coast streams. The
new station at Bakers Lake, Wash; estab-
lished for the propagation OF blue back
silver salmon, will begin operations July T..
In the Rocky Mountain region there are
stations in Montana, Colorado and South
Dakota for the propagation of Eastern
| brook trout, CRAWLING mountain or black
spotted rout. From these stations 6,ooo,-
900 fry were distributed in the streams Of
Colorado, Washington, Idaho, Montana
Souto Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona and
Indian Territory From the Middle States
stations, in Iowa. Illinois, Missouri and
Texas, for the propagation OF brook and
rainbow trout, black pass and crappie,
! 1 ,ooo, 900 fry of all kinds were distributed
| in stocking private ponds and some pub
| lie waters. From the stations on the
great lakes, where the white fish, lake
trout, herring. pike, perch and walled-eye
| pike are collected, 10000. 900 eggs OF all
kinds were taken, and 100000 900 fry
! planted. At the shad stations at Bullock
| vile, Ca. Edenton, N. C., organs Point,
| Va, Havre de Grace, and Gloucester, in
| the Delaware, 3oo, 600, 900 shad eggs were
collected and 23o, 1000 fry planted in all the
| important streams from Florida to Mas
saehusetts. There are stations in Vir-
ginia and Tennessee for the propagation
of black bass and trout, but these have
done little this year.
In Massachusetts there are two of the
largest marine fish culture stations in the
world. At these the cod, pollock, fiat fish
(lounder) and lobster are propagated.
Over 1000, 900 cod eggs were collected
here, and between 100000 and 2oo,-
ooo, 900 fry distributed. Over 4o,ooo.o 900
flat fish were planted. The lobster sea-
son has not yet closed. Over Ioo, 900, 900
eggs have already been taken,and 1t is ex-
pected that 10000, 900 more will be taken
before the close of the season.