REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LV 



The season was remarkable for the many severe storms and extremely 

 cold weather prevailing during the greater part of the winter. This not 

 only interfered materially with collecting operations along the coast, 

 but on account of accidents to the supply pipes it became necessary 

 on two occasions to plant all eggs and fry on hand and to suspend all 

 operations until the pipes could be repaired. The first heavy storm 

 occurred November 27, and resulted in the wrecking of several vessels 

 on Ten- Pound Island and in the almost total destruction of the pier. 

 During this gale the suction pipe was broken, and the 5,010,000 cod 

 eggs in the hatchery at the time had to be planted, as the water supply 

 was cut off. During the greater part of February the weather was so 

 cold that the harbor froze over for quite a distance from Ten-Pound 

 Island on several occasions, and, notwithstanding all precautions, the 

 supply pipe froze, and for a second time the water supi)ly was cut oft". 

 Towboats were hired and the pipe thawed out, but it froze again in a few 

 days, again making it necessary to plant all eggs and fry. 



In view of the rapid decline of the lobster fishery, arrangements 

 were made early in the season for the collection of lobster eggs from all 

 of the important points between Boston and Eastport, Me., the active 

 cooperation of the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine State 

 Fish Commissionsbeing secured. Collectionsalong the Maine coast com- 

 menced in April, under the direction of Captain Hahn, with the schooner 

 Grampus, assisted by a steam smack. The results were much better 

 than in past years, over 34,348,000 eggs being secured from this field, 

 an increase of more than 12,000,000 over last season. From fishermen 

 in the vicinity of Gloucester 10,120,000 eggs were obtained, and from 

 Boston, 21,004,000; Kittery Point and its vicinity yielded 11,858,000, 

 making a total for the season of 77,390,000. Of the fry hatched, amount- 

 ing to 70,610,000, 30,925,000 were planted along the MaiuQ coast, at 

 various points selected by the commissioner of shell fisheries. They 

 were very successfully shipped by rail in care of a messenger to Port- 

 land, from which point they were distributed by the Orampus and the 

 steam smack. The Grampus also took several shipments, amounting 

 to over 8,000,000, from the station. The remaining fry, amounting to 

 33,085,000, were distributed in Massachusetts waters by means of the 

 steam launch chartered for the collection of adult lobsters in the vicin- 

 ity of Boston and Gloucester. The first lobster eggs were collected on 

 April 27; the last on July 16. The fry commenced hatching about the 

 first of June and continued until July 28, when the last plant was made. 



The following table shows the number of eggs of each species received, 

 and the fry hatched and distributed during the season: 



