El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-11-25
CONSERVATION
SAVES FISH
INDUSTRY
Government Puts a Stop to
the Waste Of Young Fish
in Rivers and Lakes.
MANY HATCHERIES
ARE ESTABLISHED
CBy Freeric J. HasIkin)

! ny EEeEElG - Elal9HAA4l
Washington. d. c, Nov 25.-It was
/ the decrease Of the supply of natural
fish in various parts Of the country
/ that led to the establishment, in 1871,
Z of a federal commission which IS now
/ known as the bureau Of fisheries and
/ is under the jurisdiction Of the depart
ment Of commerce and labor. In its
a years Of existence, this bureau has
| accomplished an almost unbelievable
{ amount of good work in securing a.
better recognition OF the Importance
I of fish cultivation and protection In
! the beginning the bureau or commits
sion was only given authority to con-
duct investigation as to the causes of
the decrease of fish, both upon the
coast and in the interior waters. 1t
soon developed the possibility OF rem
dering practical service in the way Of
supplying the fish to remedy the de-
crease, and in recognition of this
fact, congress from time to time has
increased Its authority and enlarged
its functions until it is today recOg-
nized as one Of the most important
agents in the conservation and increase
OF the food supply Of the nation.
Conserving supply Sources.
First Of all. as the work of the bu-
reau is now conducted, attention is
given to the conservation Of all sources
of supply, Much Of the decrease Of
fish was due to the fact that in the
fishing industry fish were caught and
killed without reference to their size
and condition, and the sacrifice Of fe-
male fish during the spawning season
meant the loss of the spawn from
which the supply of young fish for
future seasons should properly come
For this purpose fish hatcheries were
established and arrangements were
made to have the fishermen preserve
the fish eggs and turn them over TO
the government officials, who provided
facilities for Matching them and after
wards distributing the young fish
where the need was greatest.
A most important feature Of this
work has been in connection with the
cod fisheries along the New England
coast One of the most important OF
the United States fisheries stations is
located at Gloucester Here are
Matched millions Of fish eggs each
year. When the cod fishermen go out
in their boats, sometimes for a trip
Of several weeks. they carry with
them the apparatus provided by the
government for the preservation and
the fertilization OF the eggs taken
from the fish. In this way the young
fish or fry are raised to supplement
those that are Matched in the natural
manner It is claimed that a much
larger percentage Of the eggs are
Matched arttf1cialy than in the natural
state as they are kept undisturbed and
the conditions are better. For the Sc
curing Of these eggs a man. employed
by the government goes upon the YES
sells in New England and collects
them. In other parts of the country
they are frequently brought in to the
hatcheries by the fishermen and in
some instances are sold to the govern
ment
Many Matching Stations.
There are 30 main Matching stations
and 80 auxiIiaries in 81 states. all op-
Grated by the United States bureau OF
fisheries and during the year ending
June 80, 1912 the output was more
Al zoe ooIn az r.-.n
besides 229 100000 fish eggs consigned
besides 229 100000 fish eggs consigned
to the hatcheries which are now be-
ing operated by different states and
S35,OGO0OO which were shipped to for
eign governments Most OF these fish
planted were Of the kind most valuable
for food, such as the Pacific coast sal !
mon. yellow perch, cod, mackerel, pike, (
perch, flatfish and lobster There are
haIcherles upon the Great Lakes and /
by special arrangement with the Can I
adam government the United States 4
bureau Of fisheries conducts two eEs
collecting stations for white fish cisco I
and lake trout at points in Ontario In I
the inland states there are a num- 4
Der Of hatcheries which are chiefly
engaged in the production Of eggs Of Z
rainbow trout land locked salmon, /
brook trout. bass. pike and drum fish (
Recently the bureau has undertaken !
the preservation Of a large number Of (
the fish obtained by the overflow Of 4
the upper Mississippi valley In the /
low lands the waters recede. leaving
disconnected pools which either dry
up or. If they remain until winter (
freeze solid so that the fish are lost !
BY Seining these waters the bureau I
obtains large numbers Of these fish 4
and returns some Of them to their ma
tive streams and distribute others to /
waters. Long trains Of cars
ar employed during the summer in ?
moving the fish thus saved
Unique transportation Method.
It was surely an ingenious American
who devised the fish transportation
cars which are used by the bureau.
These cars contain tanks in which the
fish are placed and, if necessary, ice
may be added to keep the water at
the required temperature. In the
OF such delicate fish as
brook trout, there is great danger If
the water become too warm, and ar
engagements are always made to have
ice provided at certain stations along /
the route. The cars are attached TO
the fastest trains in order that no time
be lost and they are equipped with the I
best possible springs 10 avoid the
unnecessary jolt to the deli I
cate passengers. The comfort Of the
attendants is not overlooked, for the
cars are supplied with comfortable /
seats for the daytime and
Pullman sleeping berths for the night.
Frequently fish eggs VIII be. Matched !
in the tanks upon those cars while [
they are travelling at the rate Of 90
miles an hour.
One of the most important functions .
Of the work of the bureau of fisheries
is its biological investigation which
is being continually increased. Dur
Ing the past year considerable atten-
ton has been given to the investiga-
ton Of parasitic larVal stages Of two .
kinds of mussels valuable to pearl but
ton makers which have heretofore been
puzzling to scientists The pearl mus
sci resources Of the Cumberland. Illi-
1ois and Arkansas rivers, as well as
of several streams of Minnesota. have I
been studied and the results published !
in some circulars which it is believed
viii be of value both to mussel fisher
men and to button manufacturers. In
this work, the bureau has had the ac-
tive cooperation of the professors and
the laboratories Of the universities Of
Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri.
Diseases Of Fish Studied.