﻿REPORT 
  

  

  OF 
  THE 
  

  

  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  Department 
  of 
  Commerce, 
  

  

  Bureau 
  of 
  Fisheries, 
  

   Washington, 
  Decemher 
  13, 
  1913. 
  

   Sir: 
  There 
  is 
  submitted 
  herewith 
  a 
  report 
  giving 
  an 
  outline 
  review 
  

   of 
  the 
  operations 
  of 
  the 
  Bureau 
  of 
  Fisheries 
  during 
  the 
  fiscal 
  year 
  

   ended 
  June 
  30, 
  1913. 
  

  

  PROPAGATION 
  AND 
  DISTRIBUTION 
  OF 
  FOOD 
  FISHES. 
  

  

  GENERAL 
  EXTENT 
  OF 
  THE 
  WORK. 
  

  

  In 
  this 
  most 
  extensive 
  and 
  unportant 
  branch 
  of 
  the 
  Bureau 
  of 
  

   Fisheries 
  no 
  material 
  changes 
  were 
  made 
  in 
  1913 
  m 
  the 
  methods 
  

   heretofore 
  pursued, 
  but 
  the 
  extension 
  of 
  the 
  work 
  into 
  new 
  fields 
  

   through 
  the 
  establishment 
  and 
  operation 
  of 
  mexpensive 
  auxiliary 
  

   stations 
  at 
  advantageous 
  points 
  resulted 
  in 
  an 
  output 
  exceedmg 
  that 
  

   of 
  any 
  previous 
  year, 
  though 
  the 
  available 
  expenditures 
  were 
  not 
  

   increased. 
  In 
  other 
  words, 
  notwithstanding 
  the 
  higher 
  cost 
  of 
  labor 
  

   and 
  materials 
  the 
  Bureau 
  has 
  succeeded 
  in 
  producing 
  fish 
  at 
  a 
  

   smaller 
  cost 
  per 
  unit 
  than 
  ever 
  before. 
  

  

  The 
  outcome 
  of 
  fish-cultural 
  operations 
  in 
  any 
  given 
  field 
  is 
  gov- 
  

   erned 
  largely 
  by 
  local 
  climatic 
  conditions 
  prevailmg 
  during 
  the 
  com- 
  

   paratively 
  short 
  spawning 
  seasons 
  of 
  the 
  various 
  species. 
  Storms, 
  

   freshets, 
  and 
  drought 
  prevent 
  the 
  ascent 
  of 
  river 
  fish 
  to 
  their 
  spawn- 
  

   ing 
  grounds, 
  rendermg 
  ineffective 
  the 
  preparations 
  made 
  for 
  taking 
  

   their 
  eggs; 
  abnormal 
  heat 
  or 
  cold, 
  with 
  sudden 
  changes 
  in 
  water 
  

   temperature, 
  may 
  cause 
  heavy 
  losses 
  of 
  eggs 
  and 
  fry 
  in 
  the 
  early 
  

   stages 
  of 
  development; 
  still 
  other 
  natural 
  agencies 
  often 
  interfere 
  

   with 
  the 
  most 
  carefully 
  planned 
  operations. 
  The 
  most 
  serious 
  con- 
  

   ditions 
  with 
  which 
  the 
  Bureau 
  has 
  to 
  contend, 
  however, 
  are 
  of 
  an 
  

   artificial 
  nature. 
  The 
  construction 
  of 
  dams 
  without 
  efficient 
  fish- 
  

   ways; 
  the 
  operation 
  of 
  nets 
  in 
  prohibited 
  waters 
  or 
  at 
  the 
  mouths 
  

   of 
  streams, 
  thus 
  preventing 
  the 
  adult 
  fish 
  from 
  reaching 
  their 
  spawn- 
  

   ing 
  grounds; 
  and 
  the 
  destruction 
  of 
  fishes 
  and 
  fish 
  food 
  through 
  

   water 
  pollution, 
  are 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  factors 
  w^hich 
  nullify 
  the 
  fish-cultural 
  

   work 
  of 
  the 
  Bureau 
  in 
  some 
  sections 
  of 
  the 
  country; 
  while 
  the 
  failure 
  

   of 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  States 
  to 
  enact 
  or 
  enforce 
  adequate 
  protective 
  laws, 
  

   and 
  the 
  disposition 
  of 
  others 
  to 
  appropriate 
  to 
  their 
  own 
  use 
  fields 
  

   which 
  have 
  been 
  developed 
  and 
  are 
  already 
  occupied 
  by 
  the 
  Bureau, 
  

   tend 
  to 
  hamper 
  and 
  curtail 
  its 
  activities. 
  

  

  