PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 19 2 8 363 



species are increasing in numbers. The fish ladder at tlie Concrete dam in Baker 

 River was observed carefully and, as had been noted previously, sockeye 

 salmon again found difficulty in making the ascent. Certain changes were 

 made in the racks, which permitted a small number to reach the tramcar for 

 transfer over the dam. However, in the latter part of the season it was 

 found necessary to collect the fish from the lower part of the lake by hand 

 and carry them to the tramcar. A study was made of the effect of the dam 

 on downstream migrants, but no definite conclusions were reached. It ap- 

 pears that some losses occurred, but the extent of these was indeterminate. 



Baker Lake {Wash.) station. — Only minor repairs, sucli as repainting roofs 

 of the station buildings, were made. A bridge over Thunder Creek Canyon, 

 on the station trail, collapsed in August, and it was necessary to construct a 

 new bridge in cooperation with the Forest Service. In the course of the 1927 

 run of sockeye salmon in Baker River 1,597 brood fish were secured. These 

 were retained for ripening, and 1,810,000 eggs were obtauied from them. The 

 fry were fed, and a large number were being carried when the fiscal year 

 closed. At the opening of the year 422,400 sockeye fingerlings from the pre- 

 vious year's hatch were on hand and were liberated shortly afterwards. A fair 

 run of silver salmon reached the trap in Baker Lake, and nearly 3,500,000 eggs 

 were taken. These were incubated at the Baker Lake station instead of being 

 shipped, as in past years, to Birdsview, and the fry were liberated in Baker 

 River. 



Birdsview {Wash.) suhstation.- — Minor repairs to the water-supply conduit 

 and the station buildings were made from time to time. The old flume water 

 supply was replaced by a wooden pipe line in July and Augiist. Dui'ing 

 unusually high water in January a flood in Grandy Creek washed out the 

 water-supply intake dam and headgate, necessitating pumping operations for 

 the next few days. As soon as the water receded sufliciently, a temporary 

 intake was constructed. A permanent dam will be installed within a short 

 time. The water-supply line to the residence was replaced by a pipe of larger 

 dimensions. Considerable trouble was experienced from the deposition of 

 gravel in the creek channel through the station grounds and above the trap. 

 The washing away of the creek banks during the high water in January also 

 necessitated the construction of a temporary jetty in order to protect the 

 pipe line. 



This station handled sockeye, chinook, humpback, silver, and steelhead salmon 

 during the year, as well as the eastern brook trout. Cutthroat-trout eggs to the 

 number of 185,000 were incubated for the Skagit County Game Commission. 

 Some trouble was experienced with fungus on trout. Feeding experiments 

 were being conducted at the close of the year with the view of determining 

 the most satisfactory food for replacing the exijensive beef liver. The run 

 of Chinook salmon in the Skagit River was below normal. All sockeye eggs 

 handled were transferred from other stations. The collection of humpback- 

 salmon eggs was the largest since 1915. A temporary wire trap was installed 

 in Phinney Cx'eek, and a very satisfactory number of eggs of this species 

 was collected. The small collection of chinook eggs was augmented later by 

 a large shipment transferred from the Little Wliite Salmon station. In addi- 

 tion to a short run of silver salmon, the above-mentioned flood put the trap 

 out of commission, making it impossible to secure all the fish that ascended 

 Grandy Creek, and less than 1,000,000 eggs of this species were taken. Ship- 

 ments from other stations permitted the liberation of 885,000 advanced fry 

 and over 500,000 fingerlings of various sizes ; 12,000 fingerlings were on hand 

 at the close of the year. Four hundred and thirty-four thousand fingerling 

 steelheads were liberated in July and August. Tlie run of steelheads in the 

 spring of 1928 gave a collection of eggs exceeding any since 1918. The fish 

 entered the creek during the fiood in January, and it is possible that a few 

 hundred thousand eggs were lost, due to the fact that the trap could not be 

 operated until February. Many of the fish were still in the green state, making 

 it necessary to pen them until they riiiened. and some injuries resulted as 

 well as considerable fungus. A rather high percentage of eggs proved to be 

 infertile, probably due to the long time the fish were held in pens. A number 

 of shipments of steelhead eggs were made, including 40,000 to Hawaii and 

 50,000 to Ecuador. While 100,000 brook-trout eggs were hatched with consid- 

 erable success, a heavy mortality took place among the fingerlings. A ship- 

 ment of 87 fancy Japanese goldfish, donated l)y the Japanese Government, 

 was received, and the fish are being retained at the station. 



