I48 NINTH REPORT OF THE 



Tl)e Fisl) Hatcheries. 



Work of the Year — Suggestions for Improving the Plant and Increasing 



the Output. 



In reporting the work of the State's hatchery system for the year, the Com- 

 mission calls particular attention to the fact that the returns from this branch of 

 the business intrusted to its care are far above any outlay. During the year 

 which ended on September 30, 1903, there were distributed among the waters of 

 the State 140,982,805 fish of various varieties. (In 1902 the total distribution was 

 128,672,516.) With the exception of 1,750 fish which were saved from the wide- 

 waters of the canal when it was emptied for the winter, these fish were all reared 

 in the State hatcheries. 



Owing to the interest taken in the work by the railroads of the State, the 

 entire output of the hatcheries was distributed to the people without expense 

 for transportation, messenger service or other cost of delivery, which, in the case 

 of commercial hatcheries, is figured at about fifty per cent of the value of each 

 shipment. The market value of the total output of fish, at the lowest prices 

 charged by hatcheries which sell their product, exclusive of the cost of delivery, 

 was $108,069.02. 



The number of applications received for fish during the year was 1,908 (in 

 1902 it was 1,459), an d there were carried over from the previous year 395, 

 making a total of 2,303 applications to be filled. The number actually filled was 

 1,551, and 240 were rejected for various reasons, making a total of 1,791 applica- 

 tions which were acted on. Owing to the fact that the State fish car "Adirondack" 

 was badly damaged in a railroad accident while the season was at its height, the 

 work of distributing the fish from the hatcheries was considerably retarded, 

 although the railroad officials kindly provided every facility possible to push the 

 work. Notwithstanding this interruption, however, but. 512 applications were 

 carried over, as compared with 527 carried over in 1902. 



Of the total number of fish distributed 136,518,850 were of the various varieties 

 of food-fish, and 4,463,955 were of the varieties known as game-fish. Of the game- 

 fish over thirty-three per cent were of the size called " fingerlings," and over ten 

 per cent were yearling fish. The Commission has made it a rule not to distribute 

 yearling fish unless the waters stocked are closed for a period of at least two 

 years. The demand for fingerlings is steadily increasing, and in order to keep 

 up with it some few improvements will be necessary at several of the hatcheries. 



