32 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



catch of the commercial fishermen in that field being very much below 

 the average. As a consequence the egg collections for the Cape Vin- 

 cent hatchery were reduced far below the total of last year. The 

 smaller than average collection of pike perch eggs in the Put in Bay 

 field resulted from an unduly late fishing season, the setting of the 

 fishermen's nets being greatly interfered with by the large bodies of 

 ice that remained in the lake to a late period. The collection of carp 

 eggs in the Portage River district was the largest ever made by the 

 bureau. All the carp fishermen of this region are greatly inter- 

 ested in the success of the work and are cooperating heartily in the 

 bureau's efforts to increase its egg collections. 



PROPAGATION OF PACIFIC SALMONS. 



In the Pacific coast and Alaska fields the collection of salmon eggs 

 amounted, in round numbers, to 179,000,000, or approximately 50,- 

 000,000 less than were secured last year, this considerable shortage 

 being due to unusual water conditions. In some of the streams where 

 operations were conducted the water stages were so low as to prevent 

 fish from entering, while in other fields the racks installed to inter- 

 cept the run were carried away by floods, permitting the escape of 

 brood stock upon which the stations were depending for their egg 

 supply. 



A successful season was experienced in the collection of sockcye 

 salmon eggs for the Afognak (Alaska) station, 61,790,000 being 

 secured. The steady increase in the yearly egg collections in this 

 region since 1912, when the run of salmon was destroj^ed by the 

 eruption of Mount Katmai, would seem to indicate beyond doubt 

 the effectiveness of artificial propagation. With the view of obtaining 

 some definite information along this line as a preliminary to extend- 

 ing the work if the conditions warrant, steps have been taken to make 

 an annual count of the salmon passing up the Karluk River, the first 

 count to be made during the current season. 



At the beginning of the sockeye spawning season at the Yes Bay 

 (Alaska) station the water stages were too low to permit of egg 

 collections, the conditions in this respect remaining unfavorable up 

 to the end of the first week in September. Eggs to the number of' 

 25,000,000 were taken between that time and September 22, when the 

 work was abruptly terminated by heavy rains, which flooded and car- 

 ried away the racks, permitting the escape of brood fish estimated to 

 contain at least 10,000,000 eggs. This station has been making a 

 point of rearing large numbers of young salmon to the fingerling 

 stage before liberating them, and in order to conduct the work as 

 advantageously as possible has inclosed the outlet of a natural slough, 

 which appears to make an excellent feeding ground. The Forest 

 Service has cooperated with the bureau in this region by constructing 

 a trail to connect the station with tidewater. 



In the Washington field the floods were especially severe in the 

 Quilcene River, on which the Duckabush and Quilcene hatcheries are 

 located, the water remaining at a veiy high stage for several weeks 

 during a critical period. The 1922 annual census of sockeye salmon 

 descending through the weir at Quinault Lake, Wash., was con- 

 cluded on September 13 of that year, the total count amounting to 



