PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1922, 53 



consignment contained only about 400 white eggs on arrival, a large 

 number had a cloudy appearance, and these either died in the egg 

 stage or the resulting fry succumbed soon after hatching. The fry 

 were planted immediately after the absorption of the yolk sac, the 

 output amounting to 20,000. 



NOTE CONCERNING LOBSTER PROPAGATION. 



In various parts of the New England States there appears to be 

 a growing sentiment in favor of the resumption of lobster propaga- 

 tion. This valuable crustacean formerly came extensively under 

 artificial propagation at the marine stations, and for a number of 

 years it formed the most important part of the work of the Booth- 

 bay Harbor (Me.) station. The hatchery at this point is particu- 

 larly well located and equipped for the purpose, and with the lobster 

 pound at Pemaquid as an auxiliary the station is prepared to save, 

 with their eggs, many thousands of the egg-bearing lobsters which, 

 there is every reason to believe, are now annually finding their way 

 to the market. 



The abandonment of the work resulted from a combination of cir- 

 cumstances, the most important, perhaps, being the failure of the 

 interests most directly concerned to cooperate with the bureau. 

 During the fiscal year 1921 the bureau was petitioned by a consider- 

 able number of citizens to again take up lobster propagation at the 

 Woods Hole (Mass.) station, and during the current year the same 

 topic has been the subject of much correspondence with persons 

 interested in the lobster fisheries of Maine. There appears to be a 

 quite general feeling that the present State regulations are not suc- 

 cessful in preventing large numbers of the egg-bearing lobsters from 

 reaching the market. 



ANADROMOUS FISHES OF ATLANTIC RIVERS. 



The fish-cultural work concerned with the anadromous fishes of 

 Atlantic coastal streams during the fiscal year 1922 shows very satis- 

 factory' results. Under this group are included the Atlantic salmon, 

 the humpbacked salmon introduced on the Atlantic coast, the shad, 

 the river herrings {Poinolohus cpstivalis and P. 'pseudoharengus) ^ 

 and the striped bass, or rockfish. The increased output of shacl and 

 river herrings is particularly noteworthy. 



SHAD, BRYANS POINT ( MD. ) SUBSTATION. 

 [L. G. Harron, Superintendent.] 



This station was opened at the beginning of the yellow-perch 

 spawning season on March 1 and was closed May 20, shortly after 

 the shad had finished spawning. The activities in connection with 

 the yellow-perch work are discussed in connection with the propa- 

 gation of the fishes of the Great Lakes, on page 46, The weather 

 throughout the early spring was uniformly cold and stormy, the 

 mean water temperature for the first 25 days of March being as low 

 as 44° F. Such a condition always favors a good run of shad to the 

 spawning areas in the Potomac River, as it causes the main body of 

 the run of fish to ascend the warmer waters of the main river chan- 



