The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-02-23
The Skokomish Fish Hatchery.

Through the courtesy of the State Fis
Commissioner. A. c. Little, a number {
| Shelton people were accorded the pleasur
OF visit to the only fish hatchery in M
son County. located on the Skokomis
river. and an inspection of the process {
evolution of the fish. Those who hav
never visited a hatchery might wonde
that man could do better job of produc
Ing flsh than nature, but this fact wa
proven by our visit last Sunday. We trus
that all who can will inspect the hatchery
and get fair idea of the value of thes,
plants to the fishing industry of the state
Supt. Blackwell and the employees are al
ways ready to show the visitor about anc
explain the details of the work
The main building of the Skokomist
hatchery is 4oxIoo feet and with the build.
Ing Tor workshop and sleeping quarters.
and large water tank. comprise the plant.
It's located about two miles from the
mouth OF the river, above the Webb ranch.
The water is supplied from two large clear
springs coming out of the hillside never
disturbed by rains, the water being piped
into the bottom of the tank and supplied
10 the hatchery proper through overflow
winch leeds a box-trough running the full
length OF the building. This in turn sup
pies the Matching troughs which run across
the room. IN batteries of three, separated
by an alley SO they can be conveniently
reached.
lhere are ninety-six of these troughs.
about II inches wide and twelve deem
Each trough is separated into compart-
ments, and the stream of water flows con-
stantly through them, being arranged so
that the current is strongest near the bot
TOM The troughs are placed in two sec
tons or lengths. and the water, after pass
Ing through both, falls as waste. The
oxygen IS the food and life of the fish. and
by this time is pretty well taken up by the
fish.
Briefly the process may be explained as
follows:
The first thing is to secure the salmon
roe' or eggs, for Matching. Various meth
DDS are employed in this, but the trap
method is the safest, as the salmon are not
bruised or injured and can be kept until
ready as bruises soon develop fungus
growth on the fish which makes them use
less. The hatchery has several traps in
the river, but secure most of the eggs from
the trap ~ miles up the river.
The female fish is taken just at the prop
er time, when "ripe, and the spawn or
eggs extracted from her by skillful move
OF the operative, after which the '.milt''
from the male is taken in the same man
ner, and both fish are put back in the
water and have no further interest in the
spawning. This done the eggs must be
taken to the hatchery as carefully and
speedily as possible, and placed where
they will not be disturbed, until the process
OF fertilization is complete. At this stage
the eggs are very delicate and easily spoil
ed. During the spawning season last tall |
eight men were necessary to operate the
hatchery, but at present only five are need |
ed to look after the Matching work.
The eggs are kept until the proper time,
when they are impregnated, and then
placed in wire baskets and hung under
water in the Matching troughs The fer
tile eggs soon reach the 'eye'' stage, or
when the eye of the embryo fish can be
distinguished within the egg. The infer
tile egg turns white and is removed In |
fact the crew must watch the eggs and |
young fish at all stages carefully removing
bad or detached eggs, dead fish, or any
foreign matter, as the living fish are easily
affected. At this stage the embryo devel-
ops rapidly, and soon breaks its way out of |
the shell. The little wriggler, with the
egg attached, soon drops through the
meshes of the basket into the trough be- |
meath and there remains until he has suf-
ficient company, when the basket with any
remaining eggs is removed to other spaces
until the Matching out is completed The
egg sack remains until it is gradually abb
sorbed by the fish, when he is ready to be
put out, and if kept after this stage re-
quires feeding five or six times day.
The present is just the right time to
visit the hatchery as all st ages of develop
ment can be seen, from the unmatched egg, |
to the small fry about ready to start out |
into the fish world Within two weeks the |
last of the eggs will be Matched and that |
stage cannot be seen. As in the human |
family there are monstrosities and "runts, -
but these abnormal conditions never sur
vive. and are taken out and kept separate
just for curiosities. In the hatchery there |
are Siamese twins, three-eyed, curved and |
distorted fish of all kinds and shapes.
The Skokomish hatchery has about eight
million fry according to the government
idea of estimating by weight of the eggs
originally taken. In the natural way it is |
estimated that but five per cent of the eggs
hatch and escape the trout and other de-
structive agencies, while in the hatcheries
fully ninety-fve per cent survive to be
turned loose old enough to elude most of |
their enemies. The Skokomish hatchery
has as many eggs as any one of the other
eleven now in operation in the state, and
has had practically no loss. This is a won
derful showing, considering that the hatch |