BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 401 



Vol. V, IV©. 20. Washington, JD. €. Sci»l. 28, 1885. 



134 REPORT OF NHAD-HATCHIIVO OPERATIONS AT BATTERV 



STATION. HAVRE DE GRACE, .»IU.. SEASON OF 1885. 



By WILLIAM IIA1VILEN, 



Superintendent of Battery Station. 



I have the honor to submit herewith my report of the operations in 

 shad-hatching' at tbis station during the spring of 1885, accompanied 

 by tables showing in detail the work performed. 



Although the work of the present year about trebled that done last 

 season, the capacity of the station was by no means taxed to its utmost. 

 It is. needless to say that advantage was taken of every opportunity to 

 make the work successful, and to accomplish all that was expected of 

 the station. 



The season was unusually backward, and we were much inconve- 

 nienced by the prolonged presence of ice in the river, which cut off com- 

 munication with Havre de Grace, Md. On the island, however, the 

 preparations for the work were steadily pushed forward. 



The system pursued during the spring of 1884, of fishing the seine by 

 contract, did not result as satisfactorily as was hoped, and it was deemed 

 best not to attempt the same experiment this year. It being necessary 

 to have the services of an experienced fisherman to act as captain of 

 the seine, the position was offered to Mr. Everett Thompson, a citizen of 

 Havre de Grace, and was accepted. Mr. Thompson reported at the sta- 

 tion April 1st with two seine-menders and riggers, when the seine was 

 removed from its storage, ropes taken out, and the operation of rigging 

 the net commenced. Such dispatch was used that by the 14th of April 

 this work was completed, although interrupted on several occasions by 

 stormy weather. When ready for fishing the seine measured 1,280 

 fathoms in length. 



While the seine was being rigged, attempts were made to sweep the 

 hauls to remove any obstructions which might have lodged from the 

 spring rains and freshets. As the ice did not leave the river until 

 almost time for fishing operations to commence, and as the force was 

 at this time inadequate to perform all that was necessary to be done to 

 put the station on a proper footing for the season's work, the U. S. Fish 

 Commission steamer Fish Hawk was ordered here for the purpose of 

 clearing out these obstructions, and for rendering any assistance neces- 

 sary to equip the station thoroughly. She arrived on April 2, and her 

 crew was put to work with small boats and launches to clean the hauls. 

 The work, however, was much interrupted by the heavy and continual 

 Bull. U. S. F. C. 85 26 



