GO 



REPORT OF STATE BdAlil) OF FISH COI\i:VIISSIONERS. 



\vr have sliippcd upward of 20(),()00 Easteni brook-trout fry and placed 

 them in various streams and small lakes in that vicinity. The wonderful 

 results that have attended these fish have already been alluded to. 



The complete distribution of eggs and fish from the Tallac and Tahoe 

 stations during 1903 and 1!>04 is summarized in the following table: 



EEL RIVER STATION, AND STEELHEAD PROPAGATION. 



During the Legislature of 1901, the sum of $2,000 was appropriated 

 to be expended in the work of steelhead propagation in Humboldt 

 County. This money became available after January 1, 1902. In the 

 spring of 1902 we liberated a fraction over 300,000 steelhead fry. We 

 had hoped to increase the number in 1903 by establishing a new egg- 

 collecting station on Howe Creek, to be operated in conjunction with 

 the one on Price Creek. Untimely freshets, coming at the time our 

 traps were in operation, twice carried away our racks on Howe Creek; 

 the last time the water continued at such a stage that it was impossible 

 to replace the traps, and our total take of eggs was therefore about one 

 half that of the preceding year. We liberated about 120,000 young 

 steelhead in Price Creek and Eel River. On March 20, 1904, we again 

 attempted to collect steelhead eggs. Tn addition to the traps operated 

 on HoAve and Price creeks, we engaged the services of a crew of fisher- 

 men to operate a seine in Eel River. Our work was again interfered 

 with by the high waters, and it was disappointing in the extreme to 

 see schools of these fish passing up the river and creek at a time when 

 we were utterly unable, owing to the volume and velocity of the water ^ 

 to capture them and bring our take of steelhead eggs up to what we had 

 expected. AVhile we took quite a number of fish, they were late spawn- 

 ers; in fact, so green that they could not he retained with safety in 

 live cars, so we were obliged to liberate them. We secured only 104,000 

 eggs, from which about 90,000 strong, healthy fry were liberated. 

 These small plants have, however, materially improved the steelhead 



