REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XI 



preparation. Tt is certainly important that the United States fishermen 

 and manufacturers adopt the best processes, and it would appear to 

 be proper for the Government, as represented by this Commission, to 

 undertake the necessary expert investigations with a view to inform our 

 manufacturers as to the api^roved fishery methods of other countries. 

 The acquisition of new island territory having large fish-eating 

 populations opens uji important trade opportunities for the manufac- 

 turers of salted, smoked, and canned fish. Attention may be especially 

 directed to Puerto Rico, where a recent examination of the Spanish 

 customs records by agents of the Commission has shown that the value 

 of the imports of fishery products during the last years of the Spanish 

 rt'gime was about $2,000,000 annually, of which less than $300,000 

 represented products from the United States and over $1,500,000 salt 

 fish, chiefly cod, from the British North American provinces. Under 

 proper regulations, there seems no reason why the trade may not be 

 largely increased and pass under the control of our own people. 



PROPAGATION OF FOOD-FISHES. 



The increase in the appropriation by Congress for the propagation of 

 food-fishes has resulted in an extension of the work, and the output for 

 the fiscal year is greater than that of the previous season by about 

 198,000,000 fish. The total number distributed was 1,056,371,898, rep- 

 resenting the important commercial fishes, such as cod, shad, white-fish, 

 quinnat salmon, pike jierch, lake trout, and lobsters. 



On the Pacific coast collections of quinnat-salmon eggs were made 

 as usual at Baird and Battle Creek, in the Sacramento River Valley, 

 and on the Clackamas, Salmon, and Little White Salmon rivers, in 

 the Columbia River basin. The experience this season varied from 

 that of the past in the number of eggs secured in the different regions. 

 At Baird runs of salmon were unusually good, and 16,568,600 eggs were 

 taken, while at Battle Creek, where 48,000,000 eggs had been obtained 

 the previous year, only 20,000,000 were secured this season, very few 

 salmon entering Battle Creek on account of the low water. In the 

 Columbia River basin the season was not as satisfactory as had been 

 expected; but few salmon ascended the Little White Salmon or Clack- 

 amas rivers, consequently the take of eggs at these stations was below 

 the normal, as will be seen by referring to the accompanying reports of 

 the different stations. Notwithstanding the falling off" in the number 

 of eggs taken at some points, about 29,000,000 salmon fry were liberated 

 in the valley of the Sacramento during the fall and winter, and over 

 12,800,000 in the basin of the Columbia. 



The discontinuance of the Fort Gaston Station, from which the supply 

 of steelhead-trout eggs had heretofore been obtained, necessitated the 

 collection of these eggs from some other source, as the demand for this 

 species has increased, owing largely to its successful introduction into 

 the Great Lakes. A substation was accordingly established on the 

 Willamette River, near Oregon City, where several hundred thousand 

 eggs were obtained. 



