The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-14
SALMON HABITS
ARE CHANGING.
Artificial Propagation of Fish Is the
Apparent Cause of New Conditions.

Artificial Propagation of Fish Is the
Apparent Cause of New Conditions.
From the New York Herald.
Portland, Ore.-The large schools of
salmon which have appeared in the
Columbia at intervals the last three
weeks offer an interesting study of the
workings of nature. They also present
to the men interested in the salmon
industry perplexing problems as to the
methods to be followed in meeting the
changed conditions which have been
brought about, presumably by artifi-
ciai propagation.
The fish now appearing in such large
numbers are in appearance and state
of maturity almost identical with the
salmon which a few years ago entered
the river early in July. The July run
was from the earliest days of the i'm
dustry regarded as the mainstay of the
business. both for fishermen and the
Gamers, the struggling runs which APP
peared earlier affording but slight
profit to any of the parties concerned.
1t is for this reason that the increas-
ing lateness of this run has been the
subject of concern to fishermen and
Gamers, and it has been proposed to
change the law so as to prolong the
open season and increase the catch of
fish. a strong argument against ex-
tending the season beyond Aug. 10 has
been that the quality Of the fish enter
ing the river after that date had de-
Perforated to such an extent that the
reputation of the Columbia River sal
mon would suffer by packing such fish.
1t is now reported, however that fish
a fal in lar
bers near the mouth of the river are
firm in flesh and of good color, and that
the spawn is no nearer maturity than
that of the fish taken in June and July
years ago, before artificial propaga-
ton saved the industry from extinc-
ton.
Many interesting theories are current
as to why artificial propagation should
cause such radical change in the
habits of the ssn. One theory, adj
vanced by Is. A. Seaborg, is that the
fierce struggles of the parent fish when
she is penned in at the hatchery re-
tard the work of nature and transmit
to her young instincts and traits
which act for the suppression of ma
tural development and prolongs the
period required for the spawn to
reach maturity. Instinct causes the
salmon to start for her spawning
grounds at the headwaters Of a stream
In time to reach there before the pc
riod of maturity in the spawn. Pre-
vious to the establishment of the
hatcheries she followed the dictates
of nature, care free and untrammelled
by any unnatural obstacles. and the
small proportion of young salmon
which worked back to sea returned
and fulfilled their destiny by the same
natural laws.
Under artificial propagation the voy-
age of the female salmon to the head
waters of a stream is interrupted by
the barriers at the hatchery. Nature
discloses to her no spawning ground in
these enclosures and In terror she
worries herself into exhaustion IN fran
tic endeavors to pass the barriers and
reach the spot where nature had In
tended she should deposit her eggs
spawn. In warm blooded creatures
this worry and excitement might hast
en- matters OF this nature. but with
the salmon tho desire 10 suppress the
workings Of nature until she can
reach the spot TO which that strange
prompting called instinct leads her un-
doubtedly has retardng effect,
which u perhaps intensified as Il Is
transmitted to the young salmon.
Whether this Is the true reason for
the changing habits Of the salmon, the
fact that these habits began changing
almost simultaneously with the work.
ing N the hateherles give 20 SIR Sea-
b0rR'a theory some FEASIBILITY
If these August fish ere 81 such fine
quality there a. hope that out ~ 20
many some may reach the head VIA
fcfH faf natural propagation. Changes
in thf season, however win bH decided
on only after their wisdom has been
dafnanaffated Tha Columbia HiFer
W0uid have been Hahed dfy M salmon
i0nn ago ~ fba seasons haH haeH
iaHHfhenef 81 every request NJ can
HfrH 81 HahaFmen