"^8 t^SGI ,83!! U- S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



at 9 h.'itcheries, and a definite curtailment of propagation and dis- 

 tribution activities at the majority of the remaining estabUshments. 

 The bulk of the reduction in output applied to commercial species. 

 There was an actual increase, however, in the output of 10 of the 

 most important species of game fish. The production of these forms 

 amounting to 135,211,900, represents 4.1 percent of the total or 

 twice the ratio of the 1933 figures. The actual number of all species 

 of game fish distributed was slightly below the previous year's owing 

 to a recession in some of the minor forms such as sunfish, crappie, 

 and pickerel. The fact remains that the forms for which the greatest 

 demand exists were available in larger numbers. 



There was a reduction in the number of fingerlings and larger fish 

 reared at the hatcheries. The drop of approximately 42,000,000 is 

 largely traceable to the curtailment of operations witli Pacific salmon, 

 large numbers of which are reared to fingerlings, and to restrictions on 

 the rescue work in the Mississippi area. The latter activit}^ produces 

 larger fish entirely and the total output of this class fluctuates accord- 

 ing to the scope of tlie work. As far as the im])ortant trout and bass 

 were concerned, however, the fingerling production surpassed that for 

 1933. Discussion of the 1934 production of fish and eggs can be sum- 

 marized by the statement that tiie results will fluctuate according to 

 the facihties and funds devoted to the enterprise, and within certain 

 limits can be expanded or reduced at will. I'nit costs are sufficiently 

 constant to justify this view of the matter. 



CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES 



Construction and repair of the Bureau's hatcheries is a type of work 

 which lends itself well to the Government's program of work-relief 

 and public works construction. The average hatchery rec[uires only 

 limited structural improvements which carry heavy costs for material, 

 while the development and enlargement of ponds and water supplies 

 calls for a maximum of labor. 



The Bureau therefore benefited greatly by cash allotments made 

 by the Public Works Administration, by assignment of labor and 

 funds under the Civil Works Administration, and by relief labor 

 assigned by local authorities. Early in the year there was received 

 from the Public Works Administration the sum of $281,500, providing 

 $150,000 for the continuation of construction at 5 new hatcheries 

 located in Alabama, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia, 

 with the balance, $131,500 available for repairs and reconditioning at 

 29 of the older hatcheries. The allotments were virtually all ex- 

 pended at the close of the year with the exception of a balance remain- 

 ing for the Leetown (W. Va.) project. All of the new hatcheries were 

 placed on a producing basis or greatly enlarged as to capacity. In 

 the case of the Marion (Ala.) station, the pond area was increased 

 approximately 300 percent and a number of buildings were constructed. 

 These hatcheries were not fully completed up to the limits of their 

 potentialities, however. 



During the year two small additional allotments totaling $12,000, 

 were made for further repairs and reconditioning work. Individual 

 allotments to the various stations, i-anged from $1,000 to $8,500 and 

 were expended for such activities as renewing docks, repairing and 

 repainting buildings, repairing pipe lines and water-supply systems, 



