558 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



GAME FISH PROPAGATION IN NEW ENGLAND 



The work of the hatcheries in New England is confined mainly to 

 the propagation of trout, though at several of them a few pond fish 

 are produced. As a whole the year's operations at this group were 

 quite successful. The Hartsville (Mass.) station increased its former- 

 ly inadequate water supply by digging wells and installing a pump. 

 In addition to fish-cultural work on the usual scale, conditions at the 

 Nashua (N. H.) station were improved by the construction of 1,500 

 feet of new fencing. In cooperation with the Connecticut fisheries 

 authorities, this station also secured 120,000 smallmouth bass fry 

 in certain reservoirs in that State where fisliing is prohibited and 

 utilized them in stocking other waters. Tliis collection was greatly 

 in excess of any that has been available for New England waters 

 in recent years. 



Activities in general at the Pittsford (Vt.) experimental hatchery 

 were continued along formerly established lines. Feeding experi- 

 ments and selective breeding experiments, carried on under the direc- 

 tion of the division of scientific inquiry, constituted the basic activity, 

 and as a result of such work brook trout eggs and fingerlings in consid- 

 erable quantity were made available for distribution and for transfer 

 to other stations. A noteworthy item was the taking and hatching 

 of eggs from Montana grayling wliich had been reared from the egg 

 stage at the Pittsford station. In view of the difficulty heretofore 

 experienced in handling grayling, tliis is considered to be a notable 

 achievement in fish culture. It is also pertinent to point out that 

 as a result of selective breeding, the average number of eggs per fish 

 taken from selected brook trout breeders has been increased from 958 

 to 1,606 within a period of three years. A virtual reconstruction of 

 the Pittsford hatchery building became necessary during the year, 

 in order to prevent serious depreciation, and the general improve- 

 ments included the extension of the pond rearing system. 



The two largest establishments in the New England area are the 

 one at East Orland, Me., and the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) station, with 

 its important auxiliary at York Pond, N. H. At the last-named 

 point the development work in progress under a special appropriation 

 is nearing completion. The more important constructions include 

 a new cement block hatchery and a stable and garage building. The 

 water-supply system was also improved and additional rearing facili- 

 ties installed. At this substation, which is the main producing unit 

 for brook trout eggs to meet the bureau's requirements throughout 

 the country, the egg collections exceeded those of any previous year. 

 The former practice of securing the eggs from wild fish taken in 

 closed streams within the national forest areas has been abandoned 

 and dependence is now placed on domesticated stock maintained 

 under seminatural conditions. At the St. Johnsbury station routine 

 fish-cultural work was prosecuted with average results. 



In addition to its work with the Atlantic salmon, a discussion of 

 which appears elsewhere, the station at East Orland, Me., collected 

 nearly 3,750,000 brook trout eggs, shipped over 2,000,000 in the eyed 

 stage to other stations, and produced and distributed a large output 

 of fingerling trout. A constant effort is being made to expand the 

 facilities of the station and improve the property, and the various 

 minor changes made during the year were effected with that aim 

 in mind. Under the supervision of the East Orland station the auxili- 



