15 



40x40 feet; the other, 8x60 feet. The young samlets will be held in these 

 reservoirs, until acquired size and strength will enable them to defend 

 themselves against larger fish and common enemies. 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 

 young fry can be hatched annually. At the present writing we have in the 

 hatchery about 1,200,000 that will be released in December. 



The expense of running the United States Salmon Hatchery at McCloud, 

 covering a period of five years preceding January, 1883, was $53,000 — (see 

 Bulletin of the United States Fish Commissioners, page 202). The main- 

 tenance of the California State Salmon Hatchery should not exceed $3,000 

 per annum. The State is now the owner of a large, commodious, well 

 furnished hatchery, and will not hereafter be called upon to pay question- 

 able bills, aggregating thousands of dollars, for the hatching and release 

 of salmon. 



CANNERIES. 



On account of the small run, and decreased take of salmon, more than 

 one half of the canneries that were operated in 1 883-4 were closed in 1885 

 and 1886. The number of cases packed in 1885 was 90,000, as against 

 120,000 for 1883, and 200,000 for 1882. In 1882, nineteen canneries were 

 in successful operation, whilst in 1885, only five or six were running. 



The closing of ten or twelve packing establishments was not only a 

 serious loss to proprietors, but also to the large force of men employed by 

 them; several thousands thereby lost remunerative employment. 



The prospect for the pack of 1887 is not encouraging. Most of the 

 canneries will remain closed, and one third or more of the boats will be 

 unused. The pack on the Columbia River also shows a heavy shortage, as 

 appears from the following statement taken from an Oregon financial and 

 trade report: "The legal limit of the canning season on the Columbia 

 River closed last Saturday night, but the canneries have not made up their 

 reports. In a general way, the pack in that river is estimated at from 

 400,000 to 450,000 cases. Possibly the actual returns will not vary much 

 from 425,000 cases, which means a shortage of 100,000 cases, as compared 

 with last year." The salmon season on the Columbia River runs from 

 April first to August first. 



DAMS AND FISH LADDERS. 



Many complaints have been made to the Commissioners from all portions 

 of the State, that owners of dams have neglected to comply with the law 

 requiring the construction of fishways, so as to permit the free passage of 

 fish. Many of the old dams now obstructing the rivers, were originally 

 built to divert water for mining purposes. The mining use having ceased, 

 the parties who erected long since abandoned them. Other parties have 

 come into possession and now use them for irrigation, but disavow owner- 

 ship and deny any obligation to furnish them with fish ladders. Others 

 are owned by persons who still claim them, but who are not residents of 

 the county in which they are situated, and others are owned by unknown 

 parties. Such surrounding conditions render it difficult and expensive to 

 serve the necessary papers, and to obtain the desired relief. Other dams 

 are upon rivers close to natural falls, and the distance between is too lim- 

 ited to be of any serious injury. In such a case both or neither should be 

 furnished with fishways. The owners of dams upon whom we have served 

 notices have generally either put in fish ladders or promised so to do. 



