PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1924 405 



nets for the capture of a brood stock were set in Casco, Linekins, 

 and Johns Bays, the same fields that have been resorted to in past 

 years. While heavy ice was encountered in the early part of the 

 season, and a few of the nets were damaged by it, the results in 

 general were very gratifying. Large spawners in goodly numbers 

 were transferred to the hatchery and cared for in the retaining 

 tables until they had cast their spawn, the total for the season aggre- 

 gating in excess of 6,000. 



Spawning began on March 14, and the collections gradually in- 

 creased to the point where 100,000,000 eggs were taken in a single 

 day. They declined after that time, but there were many days when 

 the daily receipts ran from 30,000,000, to 80,000,000. 'fhe last lot 

 of eggs was taken on May 8. The total collections amounted to 

 1,627,025,000 eggs of much better than the average quality, and in 

 the incubation and distribution of the product merely nominal 

 losses were sustained. 



The steamer Gamut and its crew rendered valuable assistance in 

 connection with the work, transporting and operating the fyke nets, 

 carrying the brood fish to the station, and liberating the fry on the 

 spawning grounds. 



GLOUCESTER (MASS.) STATION 

 [C. O. Corliss, Superintendent] 



The active fish-cultural work of the year at the Gloucester station 

 began on November 1 1 , with the collection of pollock eggs from the 

 commercial fisheries. The work was conducted under practically the 

 same adverse conditions that prevailed in the past two years. Not 

 only were fewer and smaller boats engaged in pollock fishing, but 

 with one or two exceptions they were equipped with old, inefficient 

 nets. The prevailing low market prices had much to do with the 

 general lack of interest on the part of the fishermen. The earliest 

 eggs came from Cape Ann, but the poor results attained in that region 

 soon caused the fishermen to shift to territory in the vicinity of Plym- 

 outh, Mass., and most of the eggs obtained for the hatchery were 

 secured here. The daily receipts from the Plymouth field were large 

 until about the first week in December, when the transfer of many of 

 the boats to the cod work caused them to drop off sharply. By the 

 close of the season on January 31 eggs to the number of 399,680,000 

 had been secured. All of these were incubated in the hatchery, and 

 the resulting fry were planted in the coastal waters of Massachusetts. 



Collections of cod eggs extended over the entire fishing season for 

 that species — ^from early November to the middle of May — and the 

 results in eggs secured and fry developed were far in excess of any 

 previous cod records at tlfis station. During the firet three months 

 of the fishing season the egg collections were uniformly light, but as 

 soon as the pollock work was closed and additional employees were 

 available for cod-egg collections there was a large increase in the daily 

 take. Eggs were secured on 109 days, and the total collection, 

 between November 11 and May 13, amounted to 802,110,000. Of 

 these only 516,680,000 were incubated, the remainder being planted 

 on the fishing grounds immediately after being fertilized. 



