The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-24
FISH PRODUCTION
LARGER THAN EVER
The Federal Bureau Rcpor,s
However, a Serious Dimi.
mutton Of Shad.
RECORD SALMON CATCu

WAsIIlNeroN. Dec. 23.-The aunua, 20
port Of the Commissioner Of Fishe,.,
to the Secretary of Commerce ,tny.
that the bureau has just complc,cJ ,,
most successful Of the forty.nv, ,,,rs
Of It's existence. The number or a,,
produced and distributed was Greater
and cost of production less than .r
previous year.
Fifty permanent hatchcries aud s,,.r.
ty-six sub-hatcheries. auNiItar.os and
egg collecting stations have been .,,.
Quoted and the output during the n.,a.
year 1915 war more thar 4,UOu. uuuuou
young fish and eggs, an Increase of rl,.a
than al 100000 over the previous y,.t
The plants of food fishes were made IN
every State and Territory egg fish we,.
distributed to fish commissions of twer.
ty-seven States and sent to Porto Eco
Cuba, India and Japan.
The introduction OF the ~humphack
salmon OF the Pacific coast into Main.
streams, which was an experiment l,s.
year. has resulted In success. a,
number Of these fish were taken during
the summer In the Maine rivers.
Tn marked diminution Of the shad
presents a serious problem, according "a
the commissioners report Shad ara
caught in every state on the coast from
Maine to Florida and for many wears
lave formed a substantial contribution
TO the food supply. Now because Of m.
adequate protection afforded the fish on
their way from the sea to the spawning
grounds the supply is being RAPIDLY
depleted.
The pearl button Industry % ~.
Mississippi Valley Ia reposing much fai,L
IN the output OF fresh water muesl,
from the Fairport, la. biological station
Of the bureau. The fresh water mus.a,
begins its life as a parasite on the ell.
Of fishes and part Of the work Of IN,
Fairport laboratory is injecting fsAes
with these parasites-a process which
in no way Injuries the fish. but mercy
provides a vehicle for %port tho
museels to the places where they mature
and become Of commercial value. Abo,u
300. 600. 900 young mussels were thus pui
INTO suitable nurseries in 1915.
Alaska's great fisheries, carried on IN
accordance with Federal laws adm'n,s.
tered by the Bureau OF Fisheries. we,A
more prosperous In 1914 than IN any
previous year. The catch of salmon was
the largest ever made and the ou,put o.
red salmon In the Bristol Bay reg m
vas enormous.
The Alaskan seals are the mos,
valuable herd of Wild animals eve
owned by any Government and tie
Bureau Of Fisheries Ia their CUSTODIAN
The revenue to tho Government from
the sale OF sealskins-when commerce,
killing Is resumed-will he very large
and efforts are being made 10 find uses
for the seal carcasses aside from I've
comparatively small number required hy
the natives for food.
In February, 1915, Congress |au'hor'z.
the Secretary TO postpone the sale oF TIE
sealskins then IN his possession uut'
moro propitious time. The Department
now has several thousand skins r
storage and a plan has been corsuu
mated whereby dyeing and dressing o.
tho skins, heretofore done IN Iondo.
will he carried on In this country. o
sulting In a great saving to tho Govo'
ment and a reduction in the price ~ ,n'
finished article TO the consumer.