34 REPORT 0^ THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



The operations at the Big White Sahnon proved successful in 

 every respect, 16,000,000 chinook-sahnon eggs being collected during 

 the spawning season, as against 10.6(35,000 last year. Nearly half of 

 the eggs collected were obtained from fish taken in Spring Creek, 

 thus seemingly furnishing direct evidence of the efficacy of the 

 hatchery and in support of the " parent-stream " theory, as the natural 

 conditions that existed at the mouth of this stream prior to the 

 Bureau's work w^ere such as to preclude the ascent of salmon; the 

 fishway provided to make this stream accessible to the fish proved 

 satisfactory in all respects. Fish entered the stream in such large 

 numbers that at one time it was feared the natural flow of water 

 would be insufficient to hold them without loss. To guard against 

 this, a flume of temporary construction was laid along the bank, with 

 spillways at frequent intervals to insure more thorough aeration of 

 the water. The advantages gained from this work are that Spring 

 Creek is adjacent to the hatchery, and eggs taken therefrom are of 

 a much better quality than those secured from the Big White Salmon 

 River. Eggs from Spring Creek are in the hatching baskets before 

 hardening has taken place, whereas several hours must elapse before 

 eggs taken from the river reach the hatchery. It is frequently neces- 

 sary to transport the eggs by boat in the rough water of the Columbia, 

 which has a tendency to increase the loss. Of the eggs collected 

 3,000,000 were shipped in the eyed stage to other stations, and from 

 the remainder 11,600,700 large vigorous fish were liberated in the Co- 

 lumbia River tributaries. The loss on eggs and fish throughout the 

 season was very light. 



The usual preparations were made for the collection of chinook- 

 salmon eggs at the Rogue River station, the only modification of the 

 work being the installation of the head rack early in April. By this 

 means some of the early-run fish were stopped. The slight- increase 

 in the egg collections from the river may be attributed to this cause, 

 as very few fish are able to reach the upper portions of the stream 

 after commercial fishing begins on April 15. It is expected that 

 favorable action will be taken by the next legislature on a bill to 

 shorten the fishing season, and it is believed that the results of this 

 action and of the new fishway in the Ament dam will be manifested 

 in an increasing number of eggs taken another season. Chinook- 

 salmon eggs to the number of 1,362,000 Avere collected; these, with 

 1,020,000 received from the State hatchery, were successfull}^ hatched, 

 resulting in an output of 2,306,700 No. 2 fingerlings. 



At the Applegate Creek station the destruction by flood, during 

 the winter of 1918-19, of the irrigation dam by means of which 

 the station secured its collection of eggs necessitated new construction. 

 As the principal egg collections occur during winter, frequently when 

 the river is at flood stage, it was necessary to construct a barrier of a 

 permanent nature, and a fin rack anchored to cement piers, with 

 traps at the shore line, was thrown across the stream. The structure 

 has operated successfully and withstood the floods of last winter 

 without damage. In undertaking this work it was necessary to wait 

 for low water, which occurred during October and November. It 

 was impossible to complete the structure in time to stop the run of 

 silver salmon, which was light, and lasted but two days. As at the 

 Rogue River station, low water prevented the main body of the fish 

 from reaching the spawning grounds, and the collection of steelhead- 



