REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. iba 
SHIPMENTS OF FIsH AND EGGs TO INSULAR POSSESSIONS AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES, 
Fiscat YEAR 1915. 
Fingerlings, 
Country and species. Eggs. yearlings, 
and adults. 
Porto Rico: 
AACR OSSS se aie et Ana eee ck oe cacao akin e a eetcta so alate Scine De setec islet caw warm[b enc Lacchied 600 
(CATHERTS. wom cpp SU CUBE OUE SSNS S5 6 fe Spo SEO SE Oe oe ee es ten eae ee Seemed | een 600 
ING SESS a Sagseoc 8 SOBER DEOCGE STE CRIES SBOE Ce aE E Ea ia Spine cian fiat SMa, |e Se eee 1, 200 
SS UIet Speen et ne eT oem eh cs ie et oe eer ee te Tae ia eek ee Gu 600 
REDE ISEB EN IEE DAGS erste ote erate ane hee ects de fois once Bl onicteacie tinwree oon aiciloe oats Soesaee 1,000 
UES TACIT OON AH EO ia Aae see a ee eae A a oo ae ee eas eee eee 40). 000! 2 cproto os bee 
SANT CMLL INDO Wa LLOUUS soe eee ao te oleae 5 renin foisjeera ace croreieec en ea gene Sine Sedgeee apne A000 0005. 4--—Sa-e 
PRO Ulett ee tems Se eee as See ch critic cc scone tGcctek teccden Sanees See 440, 000 4, C00 
PROPAGATION OF THE PACIFIC SALMONS. 
The propagation of the Pacific salmons is the most extensive and 
important branch of the fish-cultural work, and the expense incurred 
consumes about one-third of the total appropriation available for 
fish culture. 
Increased facilities are annually being provided at all the Pacific 
coast stations for the rearing of salmon to the fingerling stage before 
liberating them, and it is the policy of the Bureau to reduce the out- 
put of fry and increase the distribution of fingerling fish. 
The salted flesh of the salmon captured for propagating purposes 
having been found to be a wholesome and economical food for young 
salmon, tons of this material were last year preserved and stored 
for use in connection with the rearing operations at the various 
Pacific coast stations. Sun-dried and mild-cured salmon have also 
been experimented with but are found to be inferior to the salted ar- 
ticle. The salted salmon is soaked for a few days before using and is 
then placed in a hand press, which removes salt and moisture, and 
leaves the meat soft and flaky. Finally the material is run through a 
meat chopper, which reduces it to a pulp. As the young salmon take 
this food readily and thrive upon it, its use will go far toward solving 
one of the main obstacles in the way of extensive rearing operations, 
namely, the great cost of food. 
The genuine progress that is being made in this vitally important 
matter is shown by the fact that in 1914 the number of reared salmon 
liberated was 5,764,000, while in 1915 the number was 28,642,000, 
of which nearly 90 per cent were chinook and blueback salmons. 
Although three years have elapsed since the eruption of Mount 
Katmai in June, 1912, the lakes and streams on Afognak Island, 
Alaska, still contain large deposits of voleanic ash and sand, which 
greatly interfered with ‘fish-cultural operations during the summer 
and fall of 1914. These deposits, constantly drifting with the cur- 
rents, formed shifting bars at the mouths of the rivers, preventing 
the ascent of salmon to the spawning grounds or diverting their 
movements to other waters where conditions were more favorable. 
During the summer months, when the salmon runs were on and high 
water prevailed, the tributary streams became so badly affected with 
voleanic ash that days and sometimes weeks were required for the 
water to clear to any appreciable extent after the floods subsided. 
86497°—17——-2 
