PROPAGATIOX AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISIIES, 1924 397 



of Mackinaw for stocking the Charlevoix hatchery. Their quahty 

 was no hetter than in past years, and the usual heavy losses were 

 sustained in the course of the incubation period. There being no 

 limitation as to the number of nets operated, the fishermen in some 

 instances set more nets than they were able to lift at proper intervals, 

 with the result that part of tlie fish in them were either dead or the 

 quality of their eggs impaired. With the view of obviating faulty 

 methods in taking and handling the eggs, steps were taken in the 

 course of the season to instruct the crews of the various fishing boats 

 as to the proper procedure in stripping fish, fertilizing the eggs, and 

 caring for them pending their delivery to agents of the bureau. How- 

 ever, the spawn taker selected for this duty arrived on the fishing 

 grounds too late to be of much service during the current season, but 

 the work was started, and it is planned to pursue it on a systematic 

 basis from the beginning of the next spawning period. 



Of the eggs collected 6,750,000 were shipped in the green state to 

 the Duluth (Minn.) hatchery, and eyed eggs to the number of 904,000 

 were furnished to appHcants and other stations of the bureau. The 

 remainder were incubated, producing 17,500,000 fry for return to the 

 native spawning grounds. 



Whitefish eggs to the number of 19,840,000 were collected between 

 November 15 and November 29, and 53,400,000 were transferred to 

 the hatchery from the Put in Bay (Ohio) field. From this stock 

 35,000,000 fry were hatched and planted. 



Alpena {Mich.) substation. — ^Owing to the improved quality of the 

 hatchery water following the completion of the city filtration plant, 

 whitefish and lake trout propagation was conducted under much 

 more favorable conditions than have prevailed at this substation for 

 several years. Active fish-cultural work began on October 29 with 

 the receipt of the first lot of lake-trout eggs, and from then until the 

 close of the spawning period, on December 11, 7,824,000 of this spe- 

 cies were secured. Collections of whitefish eggs were made between 

 November 8 and November 28, the total for the season amounting 

 to 48,880,000. The entire stock of both species was obtained from 

 fisheries in the vicinity of Alpena, and, as compared with the yield 

 from these grounds a few years ago, the collections may be regarded 

 as successful. The improved results are largely attributable to a bet- 

 ter cooperative spirit on the part of the commercial fishermen. The 

 State game warden also rendered material assistance in the work. 

 After reaching the eyed stage, 3,000,000 of the whitefish eggs were 

 turned over to the Michigan Conservation Commission. The remain- 

 der were incubated in tne Alpena hatchery, and all of the resulting 

 fry were released on the spawning grounds from which the eggs were 

 derived. 



PUT IN BAY (OniO) STATION 

 [David Davies, Superintendent] 



With the approach of the whitefish spawning season in early 

 November men were stationed at the various fishing centers in 

 Lake Erie, and the usual arrangements for obtaining eggs for the 

 hatchery were effected with the commercial fishermen. Between 

 November 12 and December (5, eggs to the number of 313,200,000 



