33 



SHAD, {Aloso snpidissima.) 



The most important of the operations conducted by the 

 Fisli Commission, is the multiplication of this valuable fish. 

 During the last year our operations have not been so success- 

 ful as we anticipated. The season was an unprecedentedly 

 bad one, and the run of fish being very small, the fishermen 

 ceased operations much earlier than usual ; and as we were 

 somewhat dependent on the haul-seines for the fish, from 

 which to obtain the spawn, we were deprived of the means of 

 procuring ripe fish just at the season when our operations 

 were most likely to be successful. We had then to depend 

 on the precarious chances of getting ripe spawners and mil- 

 ters together from the gill-nets. 



Having been convinced from our past experience, and satis- 

 fied from a close examination of the waters of the State, that 

 we could not operate successfully with the apparatus and 

 means then on hand, we deemed it advisable to make a con- 

 siderably larger outlay for the purpose of conducting the 

 Shad and Herring hatching operations, as well as for the 

 purpose of studying the requirements of the fisheries. The 

 means at our disposal not being sufficient to make the neces- 

 sary purchases, and to conduct the operations out of the 

 appropriation of the two years v/hich would intervene before 

 the re-assembling of the Legislature, we made arrangements 

 with Professor Baird, United States Commissioner, to furnish 

 him Shad from our hatching camps for distribution to other 

 waters, he agreeing to pay for the fish furnished him ready 

 for transportation. 



Having entered into this arrangement with him by which 

 we were assured means sufficient to carry on operations on 

 quite a large scale, we devoted much of the means at our 

 disposal to the purchase of the steamer "Lookout." By 

 means of this steamer, we were able to carry on the work in 

 such a manner as to be able to furnish the United States 

 Government with a large number of fish, some 200,000 of 

 which were deposited by the Commissioiier iu the head waters 

 of the Potomac. 



