The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-10-09

According to an interview in the
Post-Intelligencer with John w. Tit
comb, assistant in charge of the di-
vision of fish culture of the federal fish
commission, the United States govern
ment will await action by state author
itles before taking up a project for a
fish hatchery on the Fraser river. The
commission believes hatchery should
be erected on the Fraser, either to be
operated by this state and British Col
umbia jointly, or by other competent
authority. The hatchery should have
an output of from 25,000,00O to 50,OOO,-
600 fry annually.
1t is improbable the United States
commission will recommend any fur
ther appropriations for new hatcheries
in this state at present. An increase OF
the efficiency of the governments
hatcheries on the Skagit river and its
tributaries is probable, but the policy
of the commission will be to await the
action of the state officials before un-
dertaking new work.
"There i. question whether the
small fry, when released from the
hatcheries, Immediately leave for the
open sea or not" said Mr.. Titcomb.
"An expert will be assigned to the
Baker lake hatchery to study this
question. 1t is known that the small
fry hide beneath stones or some friend
ly snag until the sack drops off, and
are then forced by hunger to come out
into the stream. Since no fry are re-
leased from the hatchery until the sack
has disappeared. this phase of the ques-
ton does not interest us.
"But Baker lake and the upper part
of Baker river are said not to contain
enough food for the small fish. More
over the lake is full of Dolly Warden
trout, which destroy the salmon on the
natural spawning grounds. 1 am not
satisfied whether they interfere with
the fry from the hatheries, and to set
tie these questions we will conduct an
investigation to ascertain what the fry
do when released from the hatchery.
1--WE have had considerable success
with small hatcheries located on Fin
ney and Grandee creeks, tributaries to
the Skagit. L am of the opinion that
the best policy for hatchery work is to
erect small hatcheries with capacity
of from 100000 to 100000. 1t is evil
dent the habits of the fish change, or
rather that the run is changing. L be-
lieve small, inexpensive hatcheries
could be built to better advantage
where the run was found to be good,
and the location changed when the run
falls off, On the Skagit river this
policy will be followed, the Baker lake
hatchery being the main plant, and
other smaller ones being built as found
necessary.
"Considerable trouble is found in
getting enough fish to secure our sup
ply of eggs. We are especially anxious
to continue the run of sockeyes, the
most valuable Of Puget Sound fishes.
At Baker lake we now have between
1000, 900 and 100000 eggs of this
variety, being at more advanced stage
i'm the work than heretofore at cor.
responding date. But the trap and gill
net fishermen seem to be fishing closer
than usual, and have oven entered the
river. l. understand there is a state
law relative to fishing in the river, but
if so no attention is being paid to it.
"We have not taken up the matter
of propagating steeiheads and silver
sides, but may do SO later. Nothing
has been done toward protecting the
run of salmon in Alaska, but believe
action will have to be taken soon or the
supply will be cut of. I understand
in Alaska they are stretching nets
clear across the rivers, not allowing the
fish to ascend to their spawning
grounds at ALL"