Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-09-15
HuMPBACK SALMON.
Supt. DeRocher, of Craig Brook
| Hatchery, Says They Have Returned.

Supt. DeRocher, of Craig Brook
Hatchery, Says They Have Returned.
supt. James D. DeRocher, Of the United
States fish hatchery at East Orland, says
there is no doubt that the fish taken re-
Gently at the Bangor dam were humpoack
salmon, from fry planted last year.
The size of the fish, the largest being
six and one fourth pounos, led riany to
the conclusion that the fish were not OF
the humpback species, rs it did not seem
possible they could have reached that size
from the fry planted in the early spring OF
last year. Supt. DeRocher says this is
fact, however, and that the fish mature in
two years. In their native waters they
average five pounds in weight. one of ten
pounds being considered large. The fact
that the fish taken here have reached six
pounds, groves that they take kindly to
these waters.
Fish Of the same description, and also
believed to be humpback salmon, we're
taken recently at Harrington, but have
not been positively identified.
William Drummey, OF the Green Lake
hatchery. spent several days last week in
Ellsworth, trying to locate the hump
back salmon in Union river, but could
not secure positive proof that the nsh
have returned to this river. 1t is hoped
that some OF the fish may show up in
the weirs at Newbury Neck, or that one
may be captured in the river. The fisher
man taking one OF these fish should report
to the hatchery at Green Lake by tele-
phone. and hold the fish for Identification.
The return Of the fish to the rivers Of
Maine is very gratifying to the bureau of
fisheries. Previous experiments in trans
planting Pacific salmon to Maine waters
have not proven highly successful, and
the humpbscks are making the best
showing of any OF these fish.
Supt. DeRocher writes THE AMERICAN
as follows:
EAST oRLASp, Sept. 10. 1915.
Ny Dear Editor:
In reply TO your letter OF inquiry relating
to humpback salmon, wish to say that in
1895 there were planted in Maine waters 57,-
Is5 fry and nngcriings. and in 1893 there were
planted s9o,ses fry. These were all hump
backs, and nothing was ever heard from them
after their liberation II Il mot possible that
these fsh are the results Of said plants, a.
they mature 1t two years OF age and die u
maturity.
There are Eve Pacific salmon, namely,
quinnat, biueback. silver, humpback and dog
They all die at maturity, which Is from two
TO ave years. the humpbsck being the
shortest-iived Of any Of the others.
In your letter you refer to the fish that are
being taken ct Bangor a. possibly being gum
nat salmon. Nothing can be more remote
than this theory. The irst Ash captured at
Bangor and pronounced . humpback by me.
was sent TO Washington on Aug. 4, and the
statement was verified by the scientists
there.
The eggs that these fish were Matched from
were taken at Quicker Bush and Quiiicene,
two Of the Puget sound stations, the latter
part Of August and hrst part OF September in
1918, Masking them two years old atshis time.
Their average weight on the pacihc coast is
Eve pounds, q tex pound one being considered
large.
There have been twenty OF this species
captured at Bangor within the past month.
the smallest weighing three pounds and the
largest six and onequarter. On Sept.
visited the fshway at Bangor and found two
small females which were in perfect condi-
ton to spawn, so / relieved them OF their
eggs, about 5000 in number, which were sent
to this station to develop and hatch. These
are the first humpbnck salmon eggs ever
taken on the Atlantic coast.
Regarding the fish recently taken at
Harrington. am unable TO give you any in
formation. but If. as you say the description
Is identical with those captured at Bangor
then they are without doubt humpbacks.
There is 3 change of color In the Pacific
salmon IS the spawning season draws neaI
and the life cycle Of the fish draws to q close
This change of color is caused by the physical
deterioration, due wholly TO the influences
connected with the growth of the reproductive
organs Death Of both sexes is inevitable
after spawning. 1t is only the male fish that
develop the hump, and that doeg not appear
until the spawning season approaches.
Very truly yours.
JAMES d. DERocHKR.