REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



25 



this could be done it would be necessary for Congress to make an appro- 

 priation for the purpose. You will recall that we submitted this entire 

 question for your approval before entering into these negotiations. We 

 deem it to the State's best interests that this station be sold to the U. S. 

 Commission at cost, and the moneys so received applied to increasing 

 the capacity of the hatchery at Sisson, or to the establishment of another 

 salmon station. 



The Sisson hatchery has been operated to its full capacity dur- 

 SISSON. ing the last two years, as the summary of distributions from 

 that station will show. It would be a material assistance to 

 our work if the capacity of this station could be increased. 



The greater portion of the summer and fall take of salmon eggs at the 

 United States station at Baird, on the McCloud River, were sent to us as 

 usual, and hatched at Sisson. They numbered 3,587,000 in 1894, and 

 6,750,800 in 1895. 



All of the new varieties of trout distributed throughout the State were 

 hatched here; also the native rainbow and cut- throat eggs received from 

 the Shovel Creek and Tahoe stations, and the take of salmon eggs at 

 Battle Creek. 



A lease for five years of the ground just west of the old nurseries was 

 obtained from Mrs. L. M. Sisson for the nominal sum of $1, and a small 

 lake constructed thereon by raising an embankment on two sides. We 

 could not have handled the large number of salmon eggs hatched there 

 without this lake, as the capacity of the hatchery was entirely inade- 

 quate. The alevins were put in the lake soon after hatching, and after 

 the sac was absorbed the young fry were daily fed until the screens 

 were removed and they were allowed to escape into streams tributary 

 to the Sacramento. This lake, together with Sisson and Klink's lakes, 

 which are leased by us, afford ample rearing ponds for fish. Sisson 

 Lake now contains large-mouth black bass, and 20,000 brown trout fry 

 have been placed in Klink's Lake, where they will be kept for breeding 

 purposes, and the new lake now contains some 3,000 Loch Leven trout, 

 from which we hope to obtain spawn another season. 



Summary of Distribution of Fish From Sisson Hatchery during Years 1895 and 1896. 



