34 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHEEIES. 



were able to take as many as 300 fish per day, while those operating 

 gill nets received from ^200 to $300 per day for their catches. A 

 uniform price of 50 cents per fish regardless of size was paid by the 

 buyers throughout the season. 



CLACKAMAS ( OREG. ) STATION AND SUBSTATIONS. 

 [Hugh C. Mitchell, Superintendent.] 



Though fish-cultural operations in the Oregon field were materi- 

 ally handicapped at several points by high water and loss of racks 

 during the spawning season, the general outcome of the year's work 

 is regarded as satisfactory. Both the spring and fall runs of chinook 

 salmon w^ere equal to expectations throughout the field, except on 

 the Kogue River and in Idaho on the Lemhi. The egg collections 

 at Clackamas and its nine substations amounted to 63,685,850, of 

 which 57,885,100 were chinook salmon. This makes a favorable 

 comparison with last year's total of 42,912,000 eggs taken at all 

 points. Young salmon to the number of 51,446,800 were retained 

 for rearing at the various hatcheries, but at several points the stock 

 held was found to tax the existing facilities too heavily for the best 

 results and considerable numbers were of necessity liberated when 

 only from 1 inch to 1,5 inches long. Aside from these rather prema- 

 ture plantings rearing and feeding operations were carried to a suc- 

 cessful conclusion, the losses being normal and all fish released in a 

 healthy condition. The visual quantities of salted salmon were pre- 

 pared at all points for fish food. 



CLACKAMAS (OREG.) STATION. 



At Clackamas station, where chinook-salmon eggs are secured un- 

 der contract, fishing and spawning operations began on September 

 19 and continued to October 28, when a sudden rise in the river 

 permitted all fish held below the racks to escape, putting an end 

 to the season. The e^g collections numbered 7,636,800, and it is 

 estimated that they might have been increased by at least 25 per 

 cent had it been possible to hold the fish two or three weeks longer. 

 With the exception of tw^o days at the most critical period, the eggs 

 in the hatchery were carefully picked over daily, regardless of the 

 stage of development. It appeared that the loss of eggs was les- 

 sened and the quality of the fry improved by this method. In addi- 

 tion to the salmon eggs secured locally, several shipments forwarded 

 from the Little White Salmon and the Sandy River stations were 

 received and cared for. 



As a result of some tests made, with the view of determining the 

 proper amount of food to be given young salmon, it seems probable 

 that a given number of fish can be successfully carried on a smaller 

 quantity than has heretofore been deemed essential at this station. 

 The experiments also seemed to indicate that the young fish receiv- 

 ing food twice each day made as rapid growth as those receiving 

 nourishment four and six times daily and were equal to them in 

 other respects. The essential requirement in using the smaller 

 amount appears to be that the food must be supplied slowly and dis- 

 tributed in the troughs evenly in small amounts at each feeding. 



