REPORT OF THE COMMISSIOIN^ER OF FISHERIES. 38 



248,935 fish. The annual count for 1923 began March 20, and between 

 that time and June 30 the number passing above the weir aggregated 

 123,022, as compared with 199,489 for the corresponding period of the 

 previous year. 



In the Oregon field the racks and other collecting equipment were 

 damaged considerably by floods, which were heavy enough to wash 

 awav the station site on the upper Clackamas River and to carry out 

 200 feet of the flume and crib of the intake at the Little A\^iite Sal- 

 mon hatchery. The total egg collections in this field were approxi- 

 mately 27,000,000, as compared with 63,000,000 last year. Part of 

 this falling off may be attributed to depletion resulting from the 

 heavy fishing operations four years ago, though success in the collec- 

 tion of eggs of any of the Pacific salmons is largely dependent on 

 local water conditions in the streams, regardless of other influences. 

 It is probable that the large industrial dams constructed in recent 

 years will greatly interfere with stream flow, as the water is im- 

 pounded during the wet season for use during periods of slight 

 rainfall. Deforestation also has a deleterious effect on fish-cultural 

 operations, causing the rainfall to drain rapidly from the land and 

 overflow the streams where work is being conducted. 



The marine stations in New England experienced a considerable 

 falling off in eorg collections, the total of all species secured amount- 

 ing to but 3.200,876,000, as compared with 3,955.314,000 taken last 

 year. The shortage occurred principally in the propagation of the 

 winter flounder and haddock, and was the direct result of the low- 

 market prices prevailing for fish of these species, which curtailed 

 the commercial catch from which eggs are obtained. On the other 

 hand, cod eggs were plentiful, both at the Woods Hole and the 

 (j-loucester stations, the collections for the two hatcheries exceeding 

 1 .279,000.000. or more than twice the number secured in 1922. 



In the Gloucester field the conditions connected with the propaga- 

 tion of pollock were even more unfavorable than last year. There 

 seemed to be an abundance of fish on the spawning grounds, but they 

 were constantly shifting about and large numbers remained close 

 to the bottom where the nets could not reach them. The catch of 

 the commercial fishermen was, therefore, small, and the egg collec- 

 tions for the stntion were correspondingly reduced. Owing to the 

 large amou.nt of surface water entering the harbor, part of the 

 cod eggs secured for the Gloucester station could not be successfully 

 incubated in the hatchery and 277,500.000 were planted on the fish- 

 ing grounds immediately after being fertilized. 



The fish-cultural output of the Boothbay Harbor (Me.) station 

 was confined to the winter flounder, efforts to secure eggs of the 

 pollock, haddock, and cod being unsuccessful. Late in February 

 the station emplovees undertook the colle<*tion of a brood stock of 

 winter flounders but were hampered by the hea\7' ice fields and 

 abundance of snow on the fishing gi'ounds, very few fish and no 

 eggs being obtained until late in March. Notwithstanding this seri- 

 ous delay, about 5.000 brood fish were captured, the first on March 

 20. and betAveen that time and May 10, the end of the spawning 

 season, 943.316,000 eggs were secured. Comparatively small results 

 were yielded in the usually prolific Linekins Bay field, as most of 

 the fish in that territory remained in water from 30 to 40 fathoms 

 deep throughout the season. 



