REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



Fish-cultural operations at the various stations are governed 

 largely by meteorological conditions; floods, droughts, storms, and 

 abnormal water temperatures in the spawning season hamper the 

 work and necessarily cause variations in the egg collections from 

 year to year, regardless of carefully executed plans. "VVliile adverse 

 weather curtailed the egg-take of important species in some sections, 

 substantial gains were made in other fields, and the outcome of the 

 year's work was the largest output of fish and eggs in the history of 

 the Bureau, the total being 3,640,294,535, or 12.83 per cent greater 

 than in 1910. This favorable showing is largely accounted for by 

 the adoption of new methods and the utilization of improved appli- 

 ances, resulting in increased efficiency and diminished expense. 



The year's distributions of fish to public and private waters in- 

 volved railroad travel approximating 100,915 miles by the Bureau's 

 cars and 319,819 miles by detached messengers. The amount of free 

 transportation allowed was a little over one-sixth of the number of 

 miles traveled. 



The following table summarizes the distribution of fish and eggs 

 for the year : 



SUMMAEIZED STATEMENT OF DISTRIBUTION OF FiSH AND EgGS, FISCAL YeAB 1911. 



