BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 395 



133.-REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE U. S. FISH COITIIVIISSIOIV 

 STEAJUEH FISH HAWK. IIV SIIAO I1ATCHIIVG, ON THE DELAWARE 

 RIVER, SEASON OF 1885. 



By L. W. PIEPMEYER, 



Ensign, U. S. X., Commanding. 



I Lave the honor to make the following report of the operations of 

 the steamer Fish Hawk in the shad-hatching- work on the Delaware: 



In obedience to your order of May 19, 1885, I proceeded on the next 

 <lav down the Potomac Biver and Chesapeake Bay, and up the Dela- 

 ware, arriving at Gloucester Point, New Jersey, at 1 p. m., May 23, 

 having been detained at Cape Henry by heavy easterly squalls, and 

 at Delaware Breakwater by a thick fog. Hoisted out steam-launch, and 

 steamed down the river to interview fishermen. 



May 23. — The first fishing shore I visited was owned by Howell & 

 Hunt. Mr. Howell was at first decidedly averse to having any of our 

 men haudle his fish, stating that some men who had been there before the 

 arrival of the Fish Hawk had handled his fish so roughly as to render 

 them unsalable. I, however, finally persuaded him to give our men a 

 trial, promising him that they should be very careful, and agreeing to 

 pay for all fish they might spoil. I agreed to pay for all spawning shad 

 25 cents for each female, or $10 per 1.000,000 for all impregnated eggs. 

 For the use of milters no compensation was allowed. This shore is 

 known as the Gloucester Point fishery. 



I next visited two other fisheries owned and managed by Eice & 

 Bakeoven. They are the Howell's Cove fishery and the Eagle Point 

 fishery. I made arrangements with both the managers, and found 

 them disposed to assist. 



I also made arrangements with a number of gillers, offering them 

 $20 per 1,000,000 for all impregnated eggs, in good condition, that they 

 might deliver on board, and the same terms for such as they gave the 

 spawn-takers as the owners of seines were to receive. All the gillers I 

 talked with were favorably disposed, and seemed to appreciate the 

 importance of the work. 



It being Saturday afternoon all the seines had hauled up for Sunday, 

 and no more fish will be taken until Monday morning. Mr. F. N. Clark 

 joined the ship. 



May 25. — I sent out five spawn-takers, two to Gloucester Point, two 

 to Howell's Cove, and one to Eagle Point. Three of my men, under 

 instructions at Havre de Grace, had not returned, but arrived in the 

 afternoon. 



The New Jersey fish commission came on board and inspected the 

 hatching apparatus. They urged the advisability of having the Fish 

 Hawk co-operate with them in their hatching operations about Trenton 

 later in the season. 



