16 FISHEEIES OF ALASKA, 1908. 



During the preceding season but five hatcheries were operated, the 

 increase being due to the near-completion of the Afognak hatchery 

 and the renewal of operations at Quadra hatchery, which was built 

 in 1901, but has been idle in recent years. The initial take of eggs 

 was made at Afognak, but the season did not fulfill expectations, the 

 light run in this region preventing the hatchery from filling its 

 troughs. The first eggs were taken July 27 and the last on August 

 26. Hatching began about October 31. 



At Fortmann hatchery likewise the results were disappointing, 

 as its capacity is over 100,000,000 eggs and not one-fourth of this 

 number was secured. This was the more unexpected since there was 

 a good showing of fish in the Naha during the summer and no diffi- 

 culty was anticipated in obtaining a full quota of eggs. At spawning 

 time the ripe fish did not frequent in numbers their usual beds in the 

 vicinity of the hatchery at the head of Heckman Lake. Large schools 

 were, however, found at the head of Jordan Lake, which is the next 

 of the series below Heckman Lake, and in the stream connecting the 

 two. Obstructions made this region a bad collecting ground, and 

 before it could be sufficiently cleared the season had ended with a 

 small take. 



At Fortmann hatchery an attempt to propagate plankton as food 

 for salmon fry has been begun. It is hoped that the small organisms 

 sought will multiply in trenches filled with cow manure and connected 

 with the lake. 



At Yes Lake anticipations were not realized, and the egg season 

 ended with the hatchery about two-thirds full. There appeared to 

 be plenty of salmon in the lake, but during the latter part of the sea- 

 son high water carried many of them past the hatchery racks, where 

 they were inaccessible to the spawn takers. 



Hetta hatchery had prepared to accommodate 11,000,000 eggs. 

 Two distinct runs occur in Hetta Lake, the first going to the main 

 creek at the head of the lake, the other to the hatchery creek nearer 

 the foot of the lake. The earlier run yielded 5,000,000 eggs, and as 

 this was about four times the number secured from the first run in 

 1907 it was confidently expected to fill the hatchery. The second run 

 proved so short that the take fell considerably below the hatchery's 

 capacity. 



In division no. 1 of the United States district court for Alaska the 

 grand jury, sitting at Skagway in July, 1908, included among its 

 recommendations the following: 



We believe that the Government should own and operate the hatcheries and would 

 recommend that one be established in this vicinity. 



