TWKNTY-SKVKN'rH BllONNIAL KK['OKT. 49 



Dui'iiig the two seasons eovered by this report, tliere has been distri- 

 hiited from this liateliery 1,850,000 trout fry and 1,000.000 sahnon fry, 

 besides l,'Mi),0(H) trout fry antl 2,000,000 salmon fry that are now being 

 planted tluit will be reported in tlie next biennial report. 



There was an epidemic among the fry at this station this season, 

 eansed by bacterial infection. The exact cause was not determined. Tlie 

 lish were given the best care possible and everything done to kojip them 

 in good conilition. Laboratory examinations were made of the water 

 from tlu; ei'ci'k and smears and water from the troughs, but too much 

 time had elapsed between the time the trouble ended and the laboratory 

 examination, to determine the cause. The opinion of those at the 

 hatchery was that the trouble was caused l)y the carcasses of a couple of 

 deer decaying in the creek above the hatchery supply. The decomposi- 

 tion of animal matter in the water will often cause trouble among the 

 fry at the hatchery. After the loss, caused by the aflPection among the 

 fish, the remainder of the fry were shipped out in good condition. 



BROOKDALE HATCHERY. 



All the steelhead trout eggs collected at Scott Creek Egg-Collecting 

 Station were transferred to this station as in former years. The usual 

 number of eggs to supply sufficient fry to stock the streams of Santa 

 Cruz County were hatched at this hatchery, and the remainder of the 

 eggs were shipped to other hatcheries. The Brookdale Hatchery is the 

 property of the county of Santa Cruz and is operated by the state undei 

 an agreement providing that half a inillion steelhead trout fry be 

 hatched and planted in the waters of Santa Cruz County each season 

 under the direction of the board of supervisors of the county. The 

 building is getting old and the foundation is rotted. A new hatchery 

 should be built on some other site in Santa Cruz County, where there is 

 a larger supply of water. The water supply is not sufficient to hold the 

 trout at Brookdale Hatchery as late in the season as they should be held, 

 and a larger hatchery is desirable. An increase in the number of fish to 

 be planted in this section is very important to supply the demand of the 

 anglers. If funds are not provided for the construction of a new 

 hatchery in this section, a large sum will have to be spent in another 

 year to repair and improve the old building, which the water supply does 

 not justify. 



SCOTT CREEK STATION. 



This station which has been leased from Santa Cruz County was ]Hir- 

 chased by the Fish and Game Commission during the fall of 1920. The 

 site was purchased from Mr. Gianoni and the county of Santa Cruz relin- 

 quished their rights to the cottage, tanks, traps, dam, etc. This gives the 

 state full control of a very good egg-collecting station, where an average 

 of 2,000,000 steelhead trout eggs are taken annually. This was a good 

 investment for the state as Scott Creek has been set aside as a fish pre- 

 serve by the legislature, thus insuring a permanent supply of eggs for 

 that district. There was collected during the two seasons covered bv 

 this report, 4,200,000 eggs. 



4—22631 



