Cranston. — Fish and Game Laivs of Oregon 77 



discussed and orders given and resolutions passed as seems 

 best. 



The least radical changes have been made in the policy of 

 the department toward the commercial fishing interests of 

 the state. Most of the regulations which bear on this sub- 

 ject are governed by statute and are, therefore, not subject 

 to any change by order of the Board. Increased energy 

 has been brought to bear on the work of artificial propa- 

 gation of commercial fishes. This work is directed, as it 

 has been for a number of years by the Board of Fish Com- 

 missioners, toward increasing the stock of the several native 

 species of salmon in the waters of the state. All the native 

 species are propagated, but the chief effort is directed 

 toward the keeping up of the stock of the chinook because 

 this particular species is considered the most valuable of the 

 native salmon. The Board is unanimous in the belief that 

 it is wise to hold and nurse as great a number of young fish 

 as possible to an age of from five to eight months before 

 liberating them into free waters where they must shift for 

 themselves and take their chances with numerous enemies 

 and secure their own living. With the object of making 

 better facilities for nursing the young fish to an age suitable 

 Tor liberation, the several principal hatching stations arc 

 being improved by the construction of extensive nursing 

 and rearing ponds. This work is under way at the Central 

 Hatchery at Bonneville and at the Clatsop County Station 

 on the Klaskanine River. Similar construction is begun and 

 well under way at the station on the McKenzie River, as 

 well as at the station on the Wallowa River, and it is in- 

 tended to similarly equip all the stations in the state as fast 

 as plans can be elaborated. In addition to the work of con- 

 structing rearing ponds, the facilities for storage and prep- 

 aration of fish food are being improved as fast as practi- 

 cable. At the Bonneville Hatchery a retort for cooking the 

 food had been installed and a power wheel has been built 

 for generation of electrical energy for lighting the place 

 and furnishing power to grind the food. A cold storage 



