The Coolidge examiner., 1933-06-16


distractions or falls. In the Snake
river and Yukon river the spawn
ing grounds lie 1000 miles by wa
ter from the sea.
The spawning streams of the
Red salmon are those that rise in
lakes, and the spawning grounds
are in the affluents of those lakes.
The run begins in May and fish
continue TO come in until October,
depending on latitude.
The Silver salmon enters the
streams from July to October or
November. but does not as a rule
ascend for long distances.
The Humpback runs into fresh
water In summer and fall, prefer
ably In short coast streams. and
often spawns within a few rods of
the ocean.
The schools of Dog salmon come
into the stream rather late; in the
Columbia river and Puget Sound
the run extends from August to
late in November. and in Alaska
the height of the season is about
the first of September.
Now, whether the salmon travel
in the streams 1000 miles or 200
feet to reach their spawning
grounds, and regardless Of their
physical condition at the time they
arrive at the particular places re-
quired for the proper development
of eggs and young. every individual
Of every species dies shortly after
spawning. This is the most char
acteristic and remarkable event In
the life of the Pacific salmOns.
Why this is the case is one
OF natures mysteries. 1t has its
parallel in some .other fishes, in
the may-fy. which perishes after
few hours existence, and in the
annual plants. One can only say
OF such that they have served their
purpose and are no longer needed.
While the Pacific salmOns run
with more or less regularity, year
after year, two of the species ex-
hibit, In particular streams or re-
gions, a marked periodicity in
abundance which Is so well estab-
lished that it can be predicted with
certainty years in advance.
Artificial Propagation.
The artificial propagation OF
salmon in the streams of the Pa
cific seaboard began at a compare
lively early date and has contin-
ued with yearly increasing extent
and Importance. so that at the
present time more hatcheries are
devoted to the Pacific salmons
than to any other fishes of the
western hemisphere
The first salmon hatchery in the
West was established in 1872, on
the McCloud river in California.
BY Executive order there was set
aside a large tract for a "plscicul
tural preserve" which was fitting
ly named Baird. after the first ma
tlonal commissioner of fisheries:
and Livingstone Stone. a pioneer
fish culturist, was placed in charge
and continued in that capacity for
many years. overcoming many OBJ
stacles, undergoing many priva
tions, repeatedly subjected to great
danger from attacks of Indians and
outlaws, while devising methods
which showed the possibilities OF
salmon culture and led to the pres
ent extraordinary development OF
this art.
The original Baird hatchery, still
in active operation. Is now supple
mented by numerous other govern.
ment stations, which may be re-
garded as lineal descendants.
The eggs of the salmons are .
to .25-inch in diameter. and are the
largest handled by the fish cultur-
ist. They are easily obtained by
intercepting the fish on their way
to the spawning grounds by means
OF racks, traps, seines. ETC., and
then. when exactly ripe. by ex-
pressing by firm pressure on the
abdomen.
Not Easy to Handle.
The size and activity Of the salm-
ons make Ii necessary for two or
three men to work together in
holding the fish and relieving
them Of their eggs and milt, and
the largest individuals are most
readily managed by putting them
in a strait jacket.
In view OF the inevitable death
OF the salmon after spawning. an
Improvement over the old method
Of forcible expulsion of eggs Is the
stunning OF the fish by a blow on
the head and taking OF the eggs by
abdominal suction. This. while
greatly facilitating the work Of the
spawn-takers, adds approximately
10 per cent to the egg yield by the
saving of eggs that would ordi-
narily be left In the abdominal
cavity.
Salmon eggs hatch slowly. In
cubation. beginning in late sum-
mer or early autumn. continues un-