52 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



Fort Seward Hatchery was one of those selected for the feeding 

 experiments last season. As the report made by Dr. Coleman covered 

 the matter fully, it is necessary only to say that the foods selected 

 proved failures at this station. The superintendent desires to stress 

 particularly the experiments made witli salmon olfal. It is no doubt a 

 valuable and a cheap food, but the use of it is associated with condi- 

 tions that it will be hard to eliminate and which render the use of it 

 dangerous unless properly handled. These conditions are, first, that 

 the material unquestionably must be frozen solid immediately after 

 removal from the salmon at the packing house and held in a frozen 

 condition until used at the hatchery ; second, some container to be used 

 in shipping must be provided to prevent leakage of fluids while the 

 material is in transportation, otherwise, the transportation companies 

 will refuse to accept it. 



On the whole, the weather conditions have been dry during 1928, 

 1929 and 1930. We have had quite a lot of scattered rain during the 

 winters, but none of the normal continuous downpours as in former 

 years. As a result, the creeks have been below normal in flow. This 

 subnormal flow has further been induced by the fact that forest fires 

 in the watersheds have removed the ground cover and the run-off after 

 rains is unimpeded and rapid, very little of the falling moisture sinking 

 into the ground. 



Total number of fish distributed from this station during the bien- 

 nium : 



260,730 Rainbow trout. 

 2,593.350 Steelhead trout. 



100.000 Cutthroat trout. 

 1,261,880 Silver salmon. 



PRAIRIE CREEK STATION (Experimental) 



This experimental station was established in the early fall of 1928. 



No major improvements have been made at this station other than 

 the building of a garage, which was a necessity. Only work that was 

 absolutely necessary for the operation of the station has been done, as 

 we still consider the station in an experimental stage and unproven as 

 to either its continuance or as to its abandonment. 



The climatic conditions prevailing during the past two years have 

 been so adverse as to preclude an opinion as to the merits of the loca- 

 tion as a potential egg supply. One or two bad breaks in the racks have 

 been repaired. 



Information from residents of the district is to the effect that there 

 is a good run of steelhead trout in Prairie Creek about once in five 

 years. We have planted the creek heavily during the past two years 

 in the hope of ultimately building up a regular steelhead run in the 

 creek. If we are able to succeed in this endeavor, it will be very good 

 proof of the plan of planting large numbers of small fish instead of a 

 few large fish. A further study is to be made of the streams of the 

 district with a view of establishing dependable sources of egg supply. 

 Redwood Creek has been under consideration for a number of years as 

 a source of supply of salmon and steelhead eggs, but lack of funds to 



