FISH CULTUEE AND ACCLIMATIZATION 417 



RECENT FIBH-CULTURAL WORK. 



The U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, in pursuance of its pohcy of aiding the states 

 in maintaining their fish supply, has devoted much attention to North Caro- 

 lina. Large numbers of native fishes from outside hatcheries have been planted 

 in the state, -among these being the brook trout, the large-mouth and small- 

 mouth black basses, the strawberry bass, various sun-fishes, and several kinds 

 of cat-fishes. The most important work of the general government, however, 

 has been addressed to the shad and the striped bass, and has been conducted 

 in local hatcheries. 



For many years the steamer Fish-Hawk was sent to the state each spring 

 for the purpose of hatching shad, the site of the vessel's operations being the 

 western end of Albemarle Sound. This vessel is in reality a floating hatchery, 

 and the main deck can be so arranged as to accommodate a large number of 

 shad eggs. Many millions of young fish, hatched from eggs that would other- 

 wise have been sent to market, were thus deposited in local waters; and the 

 work of the Fish-Hawk must be regarded as one of the most beneficent agencies 

 that have been employed in the interest of the North Carolina fisheries. 



Necessity for further operations by the Fish-Hawk was largely reduced by 

 the construction in 1900 of a permanent government shad hatchery at the head 

 of Albemarle Sound, on Pembroke Creek, near Edenton. This modern plant, 

 located in the vicinity of the principal spawning grounds in the state, should be 

 able to liberate each spring such an immense number of young shad that the 

 perpetuity of the run would be insured; but its operations have been greatly 

 restricted by the scarcity of spawning fish, and the full measure of its useful- 

 ness has never been accomplished. The serious menace to the shad fishery that 

 this condition indicates has been pointed out to the state, and it is hoped that 

 the restrictive legislation shown to be necessary will accomplish the desired 

 end without resort to more radical measures. 



The favorable opportunity for cultivating the striped bass afforded by the 

 large run of this fish in the Roanoke has induced the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries 

 to establish temporary hatching stations near Weldon. The work has been 

 conducted for several years under the direction of Superintendent S. G. Worth, 

 and several million of young fish have heen hatched and released in the river 

 each season. 



Further work that may be undertaken by the government is the artificial 

 propagation of the sea mullet, spotted squeteague, and other valuable salt- 

 water species. Inquiries extending over a number of seasons have failed to 

 disclose the exact spawning grounds of the mullet, and the artificial hatching 

 of this fish has not yet been accomplished, although it is believed that this and 

 other fish-cultural problems will be experimentally solved at the Beaufort 

 laboratory. 



