REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 39 



findini; a suitable location for the establishment of a batter}' where 

 a water supi)ly free from chlorine was available. Such a place was 

 eventually found at Bay City, and a battery of 100 jars was installed. 

 Last season the sterilized water from the city supply proved entirely 

 unsuitable for fish-cuhural j)urposes, and practically all the e<j:^s 

 retained at F)ay City were lost from this cause. In the sprinjji; of 

 19:20 larixe numbers of spawning pike perch entered Saginaw Bay, 

 but because of certain difliculties in transportation the express com- 

 pany at Bay City on several occasions placed an embargo on ship- 

 ments of fresh fish. As suitable storage facilities were not available, 

 the fishermen were forced to suspend operations during the time the 

 embargo Avas in force. Under these conditions only 95,700.000 eggs 

 were obtained, and because of the intermittent operations they were 

 not of the best quality. Of the number taken, 40,575.000 were placed 

 in the jars at Bay City for incubation, and the remainder were deliv- 

 ered to the Detroit hatchery of the Michigan Fish Commission. The 

 excellent facilities for pike-perch work in Saginaw Bay would seem 

 to justify the establishment of a permanent station equipped to 

 handle the large numbers of eggs that seem to be obtainable under 

 favorable conditions. There is a strong public sentiment in favor of 

 such an establishment. 



In continuance of the arrangement made last season for the collect- 

 ing of pike-perch eggs in Turtle River in cooperation with the Minne- 

 sota Game and Fish Department, 32,000,000 eggs Avere obtained as 

 the Bureau's share and were hatched under the direction of the 

 Duluth station. At the hatchery on Lake Champlain 171,450,000 

 pike-perch eggs were secured, as against 245,350.000 in 1919. The 

 quality of both eggs and fry was superior in 1920, as a result of 

 improved facilities and methods. Although the eggs were taken 

 during a period of 15 days, yet within 4.S hours after hatching 

 began the incubation of all eggs on hand was completed. One-third 

 of the eyed eggs were delivered to the Vermont Department of Fish- 

 eries and (xame under an agreement whereby a part of the expepse 

 of the Swanton hatchery is borne by the State. 



In order to meet a demand and also to take advantage of oppor- 

 tunities for increasing the supply of food fishes, the Bureau has 

 continued to hatch yellow perch at Put in Bay, Cape Vincent, and 

 Swanton, the last-named station having the largest output. At 

 that place 30,000,000 eggs were collected, and 27,800,000 fry were 

 hatched therefrom. After a suitable number of fry had been re- 

 turned to local waters, the remainder were distributed to applicants 

 in New York and New England. 



The value of the Bureau's fish-cultural work addressed to the com- 

 mercial species of the Oreat Lakes is very generally recognized, and 

 that it should be extended as fully as possible is the opinion of all 

 persons having an interest in the important industry. The Bureau 

 is constantly being urged to undertake the further expansion of its 

 activities, but is prevented from doing so bv lack of the necessary 

 funds. There are points in various sections of the (ireat Lakes region 

 where profitable collecting stations may be developed that will pro- 

 duce many millions of ripe eggs that at present. are a total loss be- 

 cause they are sent to market in the fish. There is little reason to 

 doubt that the annual output of whitefish, cisco, lake trout, pike 



