352 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Alpena (Mich.) substation, — Extensive improvements were made to the 

 hatchery buildings and grounds at this station in the summer of 1925, chief 

 among them being the excavation of a basement under the hatchery, laying 

 cement floors in the basement and hatching room, and the installation of a 

 282-jar whitefish battery in the hatchery. As only a comparatively small 

 amount of commercial fishing for lake trout was conducted in surrounding 

 fields, a large take of eggs of that species was not anticipated. Severe storms 

 also played an important part in reducing the collections, many of the fisher- 

 men's nets being torn to shreds, while the hauling of the nets at regular 

 intervals was prevented by high winds. The earliest eggs were taken in the 

 Cheboygan field on October 24, and the last were secured at Big Reef on 

 December 21, the total for the season amounting to 3.634,500. From November 2 

 to November 19, 23,300,000 whitefiesh eggs were obtained from the various fields. 

 The quality of the spawn of both species was somewhat above the average, 

 and a good percentage of hatch was realized. 



Charlevoix (Mich.) substation. — Though the work of obtaining whitefish 

 and lake-trout eggs for stocking the Charlevoix hatchery was greatly ob- 

 structed by high winds, which prevailed almost to the end of the spawning 

 season, the collections of eggs of both species were somewhat larger than last 

 year. All of the spawn was much better than the average in quality. This 

 is accounted for by the greater care exercised in fertilizing the eggs and by 

 the application of improved methods in handling the hatchery work. The 

 earliest lake-trout eggs of the season were taken October 23, at St. Ignace, 

 Mich., and 36,000,000 were taken between that time and November 20. The 

 collection of whitefish eggs began on November 6 and ended November 20, the 

 total amounting to 27,000,000. Steelhead-salmon eggs to the number of 27,500, 

 received during the spring from one of the bureau's stations in Oregon, were 

 incubated with good results. 



Put in Bay (Ohio) Station 

 [David Davies, Superintendent] 



Arrangements for the collection of whitefish eggs at the various collecting 

 points on Lake Erie were made early in November, and on the 3d of that 

 month all necessary collecting equipment was distributed among the commer- 

 cial fishermen, who were cautioned to exercise the utmost care in handling 

 and fertilizing the eggs taken. The first lot of eggs was received at the 

 hatchery on November 4, the season opening several days earlier than was the 

 case during the past few years. The severe storms and generally unfavorable 

 weather that predominated virtually throughout the egg-collecting period 

 seriously interfered with the lifting of the fishermen's nets at regular inter- 

 vals, and as a result the collection of eggs was not so large as had been 

 expected, though it exceeded that of the previous year by approximately 

 1,400,000 eggs. Several million eyed eggs were furnished the Pennsylvania 

 fish commission, and a consignment of 2.700,000 was forwarded to the Japa- 

 nese Government. 



The first pike-perch eggs of the season arrived at the station on April 22, 

 the spawning season opening unusually late. For several years past the brood 

 female pike taken for the work at this station have been quite small in size, 

 but last year a great many were from 6 to 12 pounds in weight. The egg 

 collection was large, being about double that of the preceding year, but the 

 quality was very poor, less than 25 per cent producing fry- The last eggs 

 of the season were secured on May 11. 



A somewhat smaller collection of yellow-perch eggs was made than in 

 1925, the total amounting to 21,700.000. * Of this number 6,000.000 were shipped 

 to the Mammoth Spring (Ark.) station and 7,500.000 were furnished the Okla- 

 homa fish commission. The remainder were hatched at the station in wire 

 baskets suspended in water, the estimated percentage of hatch being about 92. 



Early in June a temporary hatching battery for the propagation of carp was 

 installed in one of the commercial fish houses in the Port Clinton (Ohio) 

 field, and the work of collecting eggs, which extended from June 6 to June 24, 

 was quite successful, 76,000.000, or approximately 100 per cent more than 

 the total of either of the two preceding years, being obtained. With the 

 exception of 1.000.000 fry that were placed in a pond near Sandusky Bay 

 the entire product of the eggs collected was liberated in the Portage River 

 several miles above Port Clinton. 



