78 EEPOKT OP THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 



While the methods of operation largely followed those of past 

 years, all worth-while developments and improvements in the way of 

 fish-cultural technique, apparatus, equipment, etc., were given a trial 

 and adopted where proved practical. Over 80 stations, substations, 

 and egg-collecting units, practically the same number as in the 

 previous year, were operated. There were several changes, however, 

 owing to the closure of operations at several points and the opening 

 of new stations at other locations. 



PROPAGATION OF COMMERCIAL SPECIES 



Marine species, Atlantic coast. — Inasmuch as the eggs of the cod, 

 haddock, and flounder are easily secured in tremendous numbers, 

 this group accounts for 86.7 percent of the total output of the com- 

 mercial group. They are propagated at only three stations, all lo- 

 cated in New England. Both the cod and the flounder show a 

 marked increase in output ; but smaller numbers of haddock, pollock, 

 and mackerel were released in comparison with the output of the 

 previous year. 



Pacific salmons. — The only increase registered in this group was 

 for the chum and sockeye salmon, the species of least and highest 

 value. The Yes Bay (Alaska) station succeeded in raising approxi- 

 mately 15 million sockeyes to the large fingerling size, in contrast 

 with the usual practice of releasing them at an early stage. 



Anadromous species, Atlantic coast. — These include the species 

 other than Pacific salmon which migrate from salt water to fresh 

 water for spawning. The shad and glut herring comprise the 

 greater proportion under this category and were produced in some- 

 what lesser quantities, because of weather conditions affecting the 

 spawning runs. There was a slight decline in the output of Atlantic 

 salmon, partially offset by an increase in the size of the fish planted. 

 No striped bass were propagated in 1933. 



CoJUTnercial species, interior waters. — A number of hatcheries on 

 the Great Lakes and elsewhere propagated whitefish, lake trout, lake 

 herring (ciscoes), and pike perch. They also handled carp, yellow 

 perch, etc., during the off season for the other species. The only 

 variety propagated in larger numbers during 1933 was the whitefish. 

 A practically complete failure of the egg supply at the Cape Vincent 

 (N.Y.) station, together with the closure of certain commercial fish- 

 ing grounds in Lake Superior, limited the collection of lake-trout 

 eggs. Reduced egg collections and the failure to operate a hatchery 

 on Lake Champlain accounted for a reduction in the number of pike 

 perch handled. No special effort was made to obtain a large output 

 of carp and buffalofish. Suckers, formerly hatched in cooperation 

 with the State of Pennsylvania, were not handled. 



PROPAGATION OF GAME FISHES 



Game fishes, while commonly considered as a recreational asset, are 

 a distinctive economic resource as well, since they are the basis of 

 livelihood for a large number of individuals who in one way or 

 another cater to the angler. Consequently, the enlargement of fish- 

 cultural facilities, both Federal and State, has been mainly for the 



