REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 11 



Unfavorable weather in the fields operated from the Duluth sta- 

 tion, coupled with the inferior quality of the eggs taken by inex- 

 perienced men in Michigan waters, caused a shortage in the lake 

 trout work at this station. 



The pike-perch operations on the Great Lakes and at Swanton, 

 Vt., were highly gratifying, the number of fry distributed being 

 over 226,000,000 in excess of the output of this species last year. 

 The largest increase occurred at the Lake Erie station, where the egg 

 collections amounted to nearly 800,000,000. There was also an in- 

 creased output from the stations at Detroit, Mich., and at Swanton, 

 Vt., the amount of increase over the preceding j^ear being 93 per cent 

 and 33.3 per cent, respectively. Part of the eggs hatched at the 

 Michigan station were purchased from fishermen operating near Port 

 Lambton, Ontario. 



The collection of pike-perch eggs on Lake Ontario was under- 

 taken this year for the first time at a field station operated in connec- 

 tion with the Cape Vincent station. While storms and floating ice 

 greatly interfered with the work of the commercial fishermen, over 

 16,000,000 eggs were secured, which indicates that pike perch are 

 increasing in Lake Ontario as a result of the Bureau's work at the 

 Cape Vincent station. This is also the unanimous opinion of fisher- 

 men operating in that territory. 



The Atlantic salmon oi^erations at the Craig Brook (Me.) station 

 were entirely satisfactory, the output of this species for the year 

 numbering 2,877,084, which shows an increase of 50 per cent over the 

 preceding year, and indicates a gratifying growth in the salmon 

 run of the Penobscot River as a result of the Bureau's propaga- 

 tion of this species. Encouraged by this excellent showing, arrange- 

 ments are being made to extend the work on the upper Penobscot 

 another year. 



Unfavorable weather conditions interfered with the marine work 

 to such an extent as to cause a serious falling off in the cod and flat- 

 fish output, but owing to the highly gratifying outcome of lobster 

 operations at the Boothbay Harbor (Me.) station, the combined 

 product of marine species exceeded that of the previous year by over 

 17,000,000. The pound at this station is now in first-class condition, 

 and the experience gained in the past has led to greatly improved 

 methods in handling the brood stock during the winter months. Not 

 only were the lobsters in better condition when removed in the spring, 

 but the percentage of eggs secured was larger than in any previous 

 year, and their quality was superior. 



Comparative success was attained this year for the first time in 

 the propagation of the haddock at the Boothbay Harbor station, the 

 production of fry amounting in round numbers to 19,000,000, as 

 against 712,000 the previous year. Heretofore it has been impossible 



