REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



An investigation was made by the superintendent with the view to 

 undertaking the propagation of sturgeon, but no point could be found 

 at which a sufficiently large number of spawning sturgeon are caught 

 to warrant the establishment of a field station, although sturgeon nets 

 are fished all the way from Ogdensburg to the eastern end of Lake 

 Ontario. 



Gloucester Station, Massachusetts (C. G. Corliss, Superintendent). 



As soon as practicable after the 1st of July preparations were made 

 for increasing the size of the hatchery and of the pumping plant. A 

 one- story addition, 18 by 32 feet, was built on the northwest side of 

 the hatchery and equipped with new tables, containing 72 hatching- 

 boxes, thereby doubling the capacity of the hatchery for cod work. A 

 40-horsepower boiler was installed in place of the small one which had 

 been used for a number of years. 



Immediately upon the completion of this work a force of spawn-takers 

 was employed, and efforts were made to collect pollock eggs from the 

 fisherman at Gloucester. As a result 7,791,000 eggs were collected 

 during November and December, which produced 4,455,000 fry. The 

 failure to secure the much larger results, which had been anticipated, 

 was due to the method of fishing, all of the pollock being captured with 

 hand lines instead of with gill nets, which had been formerly used. It 

 is claimed that ripe spawning fish seldom take the hook. 



On November 15 the crew of the Grampus, under the direction of 

 Capt. E. E. Hahn, was stationed at Kittery Point for the purpose of 

 collecting cod eggs. The methods pursued were practically the same 

 as in past years. The eggs were collected by spawn-takers from fish 

 captured by vessels having headquarters near Kittery. Arrangements 

 were also made for purchasing eggs at $5 per 1,000,000 from fishermen 

 not accompanied by spawn-takers. On the first of March collections 

 were discontinued at Kittery, as the Grampus force was needed for the 

 work on the vessel, and the last of the fry were hatched on March 26. 

 A few eggs were purchased after that date. The total collection of the 

 season amounted to 160,711,000, the first being secured on November 17. 

 The 96,707,000 fry produced were distributed along the Massachusetts 

 coast from Ipswich Bay to Massachusetts Bay, off Baker Island, from 

 1 to 10 miles from the shore, on the natural spawning-grounds. 



Record of cod-hatching at Gloucester Station, season of 1897-98. 



When 

 received 



1897. 

 Nov. 17 

 18 

 19 

 20 

 22 

 23 

 24 

 25 

 28 

 29 

 1 

 2 



Dec. 



Source of supply. 



Kittery Point. 



do. 



do 



do 



.do 

 .do 

 .do 

 .do 

 .do 

 .do 

 .do 

 .do 



Eggs 

 received. 



2, 480, 000 



1, 272, 000 



2, 238, 000 

 515, 000 



2, 921, 000 

 2, 785, 000 

 1,470,000 



482, 000 

 1,416,000 

 3, 440, 000 

 3, 950, 000 



166, 000 



Loss dur- 

 ing incuba- 

 tion. 



761, 000 

 516, 000 

 478, 000 

 176, 000 

 599, 000 

 692, 000 

 416, 000 



71, 000 



525, 000 



671, 000 



1, 084, 000 



18, 000 



Fry 

 hatched. 



1,719, 

 756, 



1, 760, 

 339, 



2, 322, 

 2, 093, 

 1,054, 



411, 



891, 



2, 769, 



2, 866, 



148, 



Date of 

 hatching 



1897. 



Nov. 29 



30 



Deo. 1 



3 



5 



6 



7 



9 



13 



13 



15 



16 



Date of 

 plant- 

 ing. 



1897. 



Nov. 30 



30 



Dec. 1 



3 



5 



7 



7 



9 



13 



13 



15 



16 





