44 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OJ^ FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Woods Hole Station, Massachusetts (E. F. Locke, Superintendent). 



In October the Grampus commenced the collection of brood-cod, as 

 usual, and by November 18 had delivered at the station 2,200, varying 

 in weight from 6 to 20 pounds; 152 were also purchased from one of 

 the commercial fishermen, making a total of 2,352. These fish yielded 

 103,444,000 eggs. Of these 630 died from natural causes during the 

 season and 1,311 barren and spent ones were tagged and released, and 

 by the close of the year 11 of them had been reported captured between 

 Chatham, Mass. , and the New Jersey coast. 



The Plj^mouth auxiliary station was opened in November under direc- 

 tion of Capt. E. E. Halm, Mr. G. F. O. Hanson, mate of the Grampus, 

 being placed in immediate charge of the work with a force of spawn- 

 takers. The first eggs at that point were obtained on November 28, 

 and by the 17th of February 71,275,000 had been transferred to Woods 

 Hole, bringing the total for the season to 174,719,000. The quality of 

 the eggs was excellent and the f ly from them were apparently strong 

 and healthy. As a result of the season's work 126,921,000 fry were 

 liberated in Vineyard Sound, near Gay Head. It is recommended tliat 

 this work be extended and that at least 3,500 brood cod be provided 

 for next season. 



As the experience of past years has shown that a majority of the 

 flat-fish had spawned before the work was undertaken, arrangements 

 were made this year, early in January, to set fj^ke nets in Woods Hole 

 Harbor, but no fish were captured until the end of that month. On 

 January 30 nets were also sent to Waquoit Bay, but could not be set 

 until February 7 on account of the large amount of ice in the harbor. 

 From these two fields 250 adults were secured, 29 of which died from 

 natural causes before spawning. The spawning lasted from Januar^^ 

 31 to April 18, during which time 102,381,000 eggs were secured, 

 47,069,000 being obtained from fish caught in Woods Hole Harbor and 

 55,312,000 from those caught at Waquoit Bay. It is worthy of remark 

 that the Woods Hole fish yielded more eggs per fish than those from 

 Waquoit, the average of the former being 475,000 per fish and of the 

 latter 357,000. This is the reverse of the experience of past years. 



As great difiiculty had been experienced in the past two years in 

 artificially fertilizing the eggs, the plan was adopted this year of hold- 

 ing the brood-fish in live-boxes and allowing them to spawn naturally. 

 The results were very gratifying. But few unfertilized eggs were 

 observed, and the output of fry was the largest in the history of the 

 Commission, the plants in Waquoit Bay and Woods Hole Harbor 

 amounting to 87,115,000. 



Although every effort was made to enlarge the lobster work-, the 

 season was very discouraging. Early in April arrangements were made 

 for collecting egg-lobsters at Plj^mouth and Scituate, and also from 

 fishermen operating in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Subse- 

 quently a sailing smack was employed to attend the pots in the 



