PROPAGATION" AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1926 353 



Cape Vincent (N. Y.) Station and Substation 

 [Jxo. P. Snyder, Superintendent] 



Permission having been obtained from the Ontario fisheries department to 

 collect lake-trout eggs in the vicinity of Pigeon and Simcoe Islands, in Canadian 

 waters of Lake Ontario, active operations in those fields were undertaken 

 on October 13. Under a permit issued by the New York conservation com- 

 mission collections also were made in the vicinity of Grenadier and Stony 

 Islands in the New York waters of the lake. Brood fish were present in the 

 usual numbers in all these fields, but they were soon driven from the bars 

 into deeper water by heavier wind storms, making the operating season very 

 short. In taking trout at Grenadier Island, a locally constructed net, some- 

 what different from the ordinary type, was used successfully. The majority of 

 the trout captured in all fields were either green or spent, and virtually all 

 of the 1,100,000 eggs obtained were taken from fish caught in the evening 

 hauls. This stock was augmented later by the transfer of 1,000,000 eyed eggs 

 from the Charlevoix (Mich.) field. 



The bureau was not permitted by the Ontario authorities to collect whitefish 

 spawn in the Bay of Quinte and South Bay, but it was allowed to occupy 

 fields in Wellers Bay, near Brighton, Port Hope, Cobourg, Bowmanville, ami 

 Port Whitney, Ontario, where commercial fishing is conducted on a compara- 

 tively limited scale and principally in the open waters of the lake. At the 

 outset a large run of whitefish was in evidence at all points covered, but the 

 favorable prospects soon were dissipated by a heavy wind storm that swept 

 the lake with great violence, destroying or carrying away most of the fisher- 

 men's nets; and after its subsidence, more than a week later, it was found 

 that almost all whitefish had disappeared. The effects of the storm on the 

 New York side of the lake were very destructive also, with the single exception 

 of Chaumont Bay, which is partly sheltered, and in this field 24,000.000 eggs 

 (more than half the season's collection at all points) were secured. Eggs of 

 the cisco (lake herring) w T ere taken between November 12 and December 1, 

 the collections aggregating 163.700,000 eggs. A noteworthy feature of the 

 propagation of this species is that it seems to be increasing rapidly in the 

 eastern end of Lake Ontario, while the supply in the western end of the lake 

 apparently has undergone a material diminution. Until quite recently cisco 

 were seen rarely in the St. Lawrence River; they are now found there in 

 large numbers, especially within the past two years. Some 20 miles below 

 the lake many are being taken with hook and line. 



Late in December 270,000 eyed brook-trout eggs were purchased from a 

 commercial dealer and 500,000 were received from the Pennsylvania fish com- 

 mission. Fifty thousand Loch Leven trout eggs were furnished from the 

 Meadow Creek (Mont.) field, and 160,000 rainbow-trout eggs were sent to the 

 station by the Michigan department of conservation in return for eggs of 

 other species. The majority of the fry derived from this stock were trans- 

 ferred to the Watertown (N. Y.) field station to be reared to the finger! inn- 

 stage before distribution. The remaining fry were shipped to applicants soon 

 after they were hatched. 



In pursuance of a cooperative agreement 100 brood bass were supplied in 

 advance of the 1925 spawning season for stocking Redfield Pond near Rutland. 

 Vt., controlled by the Rutland County Fish and Game Association. During the 

 succeeding July 89,000 bass fry of the largemouth and smallmouth species 

 were taken from this pond for distribution, and later in the season an addi- 

 tional 15,425 bass in the fingerling No. 214 stage jwere collected from the 

 inclosure and used for stocking other waters. 



Swanton (Vt.) substation. — Early in the fiscal year, quite extensive repairs 

 to the station buildings and equipment were made. An arrangement was 

 effected with the Pennsylvania fish commission whereby that organization de- 

 frayed the expense of tearing out the old pens used for holding fish and recon- 

 structing them with new material. All of the buildings were put in good 

 repair and painted two coats: one new live car for towing fish from (he seining 

 grounds to the pens was provided ; several seine windlasses were constructed 

 and a new seining ground cleared and made ready for operations. 



The cooperative agreement in force during the past few years with the 

 States of Pennsylvania and Vermont was renewed and everything was made 

 ready to begin active fish-cultural work on April 1. The weather at thai 

 time was cold, however, and the lake was still covered with ice. It being evi- 

 dent on April 16 that the fish had commenced their annual migration up the 



