PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1936 369 

 ANADROMOUS SPECIES OF THE ATLANTIC COAST 



Atlantic salmon, yellow perch, and shad are the varieties which are 

 propagated for the maintenance of fisheries in the rivers of the East 

 coast. It was possible to obtain from the Canadian Government 

 1,500,000 Atlantic salmon eggs in comparison with the usual assign- 

 ment of only 1,000,000. Two-thirds of these were assigned to various 

 hatcheries operated by the State of Maine in conformity with an 

 agreement covering this work. The State attended to the major part 

 of the distribution of the resulting fry and fmgerlings. Gratifying 

 reports were received as to tlie run of salmon in the Penobscot River, 

 and the improvements being made to the fish ways in this river 

 encourage the belief that conditions Mall be even better in the future. 



At the Fort Bel voir, Va., hatchery on the Potomac River, the main 

 activities with shad were conducted. The take of eggs and produc- 

 tion of fry were slightly greater than during the previous year. Funds 

 were available to permit the resumption of hatching yellow perch and 

 over 400,000,000 fry of this species were planted locally at very slight 

 cost. 



The Eden ton, N. C, station hkewise reported slightly better results 

 with the shad, taking 4,750,000 eggs. The rigorous winter prevented 

 the collection of yellow perch brood stock at the time when they were 

 spawning and there was consequently no production of this species, or 

 of the white perch. Increasing difficulty is being met in securing shad 

 eggs here because of the fact that the commercial fishery is centered 

 further down in Albemarle Sound and the fish are not ripe when 

 taken. The Edenton station carries on considerable propagation of 

 pond fish, supplementing its work with the commercial varieties. 



The cooperative work with the State of South Carolina, whereby the 

 Orangeburg, S. C, station propagates shad at Jacksonboro, was con- 

 tinued, but results failed to meet expectations. Slightly less than 

 1,000,000 fry were produced, the work being seriously hampered by 

 floods during the spawning season. Special attention is being given 

 to the experimental rearing of shad, and a number of the fry were held 

 in ponds at the close of the year. 



GAME FISH PROPAGATION 



There was a moderate increase in the output of game fish produced 

 in the interior hatcheries. Some confusion exists as to the exact 

 status of these hatcheries, since the rapid expansion of State fish 

 cultural activities has raised the question of duplication or competition 

 with the Federal hatcheries. The fact is, the demand for game fish 

 is greatly in excess of all current facilities for producing them. Should 

 the Bureau discontinue entirely the stocking of all waters except those 

 directly under Federal jurisdiction, there would still be an outlet for 

 the entire production of all but a half-dozen of the Federal hatcheries 

 in the interior. National parks, national forests, Resettlement pro- 

 jects, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and similar Federal projects 

 constitute a definite obligation upon practically all of the existing 

 hatcheries and present a need for new hatcheries, or at least additional 

 rearing facilities. 



The trend toward rearing game fish to larger size before stocking 

 has been recognized, but the continued high cost of fish food has pre- 



