l^l.Cl'AtlATION AND DlSTRIBUTIOISi OF FOOD FISHES. 1923. 51 



WOODS HOLE (MASS.) STATION. 



I W. II. Thomas. Sui/eiiiiteiidcnt.l 



This station experienced the most successful year's work in its 

 iiistorv in the propatration of cocl, the egg: collections of that species 

 amountiiiir in round numbers to 670,000,000, while the output of 

 eirii's and fry a<i:greo:ated 505,153,000, or nearly three times the num- 

 ber produced the preceding year. 



Much difficulty was experienced durin*? the fall in effecting satis- 

 factory arrangements for the delivery of brood cod as a source of 

 egg supply. An extended search disclosed that all the fishing vessels 

 heretofore performing this seiwice had either been lost or had taken 

 up other lines of work. However, a small vessel suitably equipped 

 for the purpose was finally engaged to transport cod to be furnished 

 by a trap owner on the commercial fisliing grounds, and while the 

 deliveries were sometimes delayed by storms the station secured by 

 this means an exceptionally fine brood stock of 2,812 cod averaging 

 G.91 pounds in weight. In past years, Avhen purchasing stock di- 

 rect from the vessel owners making the deliveries, the bureau has 

 found it expedient, in order to retain their full cooperation, to ac- 

 cept all fisli landed regardless of sex. Under this year's arrange- 

 ment it was deemed advisable to effect an agreement with the trap 

 owner to furnish fish in the proportion of 2 males to 3 females. 

 This plan worked so Avell that it will be followed hereafter. 



During the spawning season, extending from late November to 

 the middle of February, 555,584,000 eggs of good quality were real- 

 ized from the brood stock, this being the largest collection ever made 

 from fish spawning naturally in the station cod basin. In an effort 

 to augment the egg supply, a force of temporary spawn takers was 

 engaged to collect cod spawn in Cape Cod Bay. In connection with 

 this undertaking the station steamer was utilized not only as living 

 (luarters for the men but to gather up the spawn and transport it 

 to Sandwich, Mass., from which point it was conveyed to the hatch- 

 ery by the station truck. As soon as the hatching season opened 

 doul>le service was performed, consignments of fry being taken to 

 Sandwich on the daily trips of the truck and from there transported 

 by the steamer to be planted on the natural spawning grounds from 

 which the eggs were derived. Work in this field extended from 

 October 30 to the end of December, and the bgg collections aggre- 

 gated 114,145.000. 



Information Avas received early in the season to the effect that 

 cod eggs in profitable numbers might be secured in the vicinity of 

 Plymouth and at other points along the Massachusetts coast, but 

 the limited funds available would not permit of the conduct of 

 oijerations in these areas. 



Every season for some years much additional labor has been en- 

 tailed and unavoidable losses of cod eggs sustained through the clog- 

 ging of screens on the inner hatching boxes, the trouble usually 

 being much worse during January and February than at any other 

 period. A careful examination conducted by the scientific assistant 

 last season when the difficulty was at its heiglit disclosed the presence 

 in the water supply of immense quantities of diatoms and other 

 minute organisms of manv different forms. Enormous numbers of 



