_ ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATIONS IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN HEARINGS BEFORE THE ES Gress Hse. COMMITTEE ON THE MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SIXTY-SIXTH CONGRESS THIRD SESSION ON H.R. 15525 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1921 ww WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1921 i COMMITTEE ON THE MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES. House OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIXTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. WILLIAM S. GREENE, Massachusetts, Chairman. GEORGE W. EDMONDS, Pennsylvania. FREDERICK W. ROWE, New York. FRANK D. SCOTT, Michigan. WALLACE H. WHITE, JR., Maine. FREDERICK R. LEHLBACH, New Jersey. SHERMAN E. BURROUGHS, New Hampshire. CHARLES F. CURRY, California. EDWIN D. RICKETTS, Ohio. CARL R. CHINDBLOM, Illinois. FRANK CROWTHER, New York. CLIFFORD E. RANDALL, Wisconsin. WILLIAM N. ANDREWS, Maryland. RUFUS HARDY, Texas. PETER J. DOOLING, New York. LADISLAS LAZARO, Louisiana. DAVID H. KINCHELOE, Kentucky. WILLIAM B. BANKHEAD, Alabama. WILLIAM C. WRIGHT, Georgia. EWIN L. DAVIS, Tennessee. THOMAS H. CULLEN, New York. RENE G. DE TONNANCOUR, Clerk. ») m~. x DOCUMENTS DIVISION | eta el e*, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS RECEIVED AUG 12 1924 © ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN: ComMirrer oN THE Mercuanr Marne anp Fisuertns, House or Representatives, Wednesday, January 12, 1921. The committee met at 10.30 o’clock a. m., Hon. William S. Greene (chairman) presiding. The Cuairman. We will take up H. R. 15525 and will hear from Representative Esch first. The bill is as follows: [H. R. 15525, Sixty-sixth Congress, third session. ] A BILL To provide for the establishment on the Mississippi River, in the State of Wis- consin, of a fish-rescue station, to be under the direction of the Bureau of Fisheries of the Department of Commerce. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be established on the Mississippi River, in the State of Wisconsin, a station for the rescue of fishes and the propagation of mussels in connection with fish-rescue operations, to be under the direction of the Bureau of Fisheries of the Department of Commerce, at a point to be selected by the Secretary of Commerce, and for this purpose there) is authorized to be appropriated the sum of $75,000 for the construction of buildings and the purchase of equipment, boats, and such other accessories as may be deemed necessary for the successful operation of such station. Sec. 2. That in connection with the establishment of such fish-rescue station there is authorized the following personnel, namely: One district supervisor at $3,000, to have general charge of fish-rescue and fish-cultural operations in the Mississippi Valley ; a field superintendent at $2,400; two field foremen at $1,800; five fish-culturists at large at $1,400 each; one engineer at large at $1,400; one clerk at $1,200; two coxswains at large at $1,200 each; and two apprentice fish-culturists at $1,800 each. STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN J. ESCH, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CON- GRESS FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. Mr. Escu. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, this bill/is*to provide for the establishment on the Mississippi River, in th ate of Wis- consin, of a fish-rescue station, to be under the diteé@tion of the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Commerce. The fish-rescue work is something of a departure in connection with the work of the Bureau of Fisheries, although it began some- thing like 18 or 20 years ago, so far as the upper Mississippi River is concerned, under the direction of R. 8. Johnson, who, at that time, was an official in the Bureau of Fisheries. He conceived the notion that much beneficial work could be done by rescuing fish in the landlocked waters of the upper river upon the subsidence of the river, beginning with the midsummer months and continuing until 3 4 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN the freeze- “up; but he had small equipment and had very small ap- propriations, so that the work was practically tentative for quite a number of years. In 1914, however, the fish rescued in the upper river amounted to about ‘ 2,500,000, and from that year on there has been a very mar ked 3 increase in the amount of fish rescued. tescue work, so far as is concerned in this bill, means the sein- ing of landlocked sdindtiles. pools, bayous, lakes, ponds, and so on, in the upper river, and transporting the fish thus seined out of the pools, lakes, bayous, etc., to the main-channel. The reason for this is simple. The Mississippi River, in its upper reaches, fluctuates from 12 to 15 feet and there are vast bottom lands, the valley of the upper river being from 200 to 500 miles in width, trav ersed by numerous cross streams or bayous and lagoons in which the fish propagate. The water in the upper river begins to subside about midsummer after the June rise, and remains low practically throughout the balance of the year. As the water recedes there are many lakes, pools, and puddles created, and the fish that have been bred therein are landlocked, can not escape, and so, in many, many instances, perish. They perish, first, because the pool itself may become abso- lutely dry or become so shallow that there is not sufficient food therein to preserve life; secondly, they perish because, if they hap- pen to survive until winter comes, the ice forming over them abso- lutely destroys them, because the ice in the upper river sometimes reaches a thickness of 30 inches, and the pool being frozen over there is no air and they suffocate. In fact, there are many cases in which the pools freeze absolutely solid. Rescue work, therefore, means the saving of these fish in these landlocked pools, lakes, and bayous and putting them back in the main stream. Mr. Curnpsiom. It is one of the few cases, Congressman, where nature does not seem to provide for itself. Mr. Escu. It does not, and therefore man, with his intelligence, must come in to save the fish. The work has grown to such a ‘rapid extent that it is necessary to have a station established from which all operations in the upper river would be conducted. The bill provides such a’station—building the structures, providing the neces- sary water equipment, and providing for the necessary personnel. I do not know that I can give you a better idea of the necessity, character, and value of this. work than to give you my experience one day the middle of September last. I was inv ited by Supt. Collier, who has charge of the upper river rescue work, to accompany him to the field’ “joperations near Lynxville, Wis., 40 miles below La Crosse, my Rese town. We reached the station at Lynxville early in the mornin d in a launch went to a landlocked sluice which was to be seined that day by two crews consisting of five men each, each with a foreman. That sluice was one-third of a mile from the river bank, 1,500 feet long, and an average of 150 feet wide. The crews started with a seine about 150 feet long at, say, the lower end of this lake, and dragged the net up to the “center. The net consisted, I think, of an 8-inch mesh, the top cord being buoyed with cork buoys to float it and the lower cord being fitted with leaden weights to keep it on the bottom. As the crews at. each end of the net, walking along the banks, drew the net toward the center, all the fish were oradually driven ahead of the net. When that net had been drageed out four ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. 5 or five hundred feet toward the center of the lake it was staked and made fast, so that no fish could get below it. Then the crew took another net of about the same length and about 150 feet long, and starting at the upper end of the lake and dragging toward the center. When they got to the center they wove together the two ends of the net, leaving ‘the other two ends diseng aged. That made an area of water something like 100 feet in diameter surrounded by the net. The men began pulling i in the net, constricting the diameter gradually. As they did that, they utilized the open the disengaged ends of the nets in making a runway in the middle and opening into clear water, something like 50 feet in length and with the distance of the nets 3 or 4 feet apart. When the diameter of the net had gotten down to 50 feet we noticed considerable agitation upon the “surface of the water. In some cases the larger fish jumped out, evidently much agitated, and a few leaped over the cork edge of the net and esca iped— a very few. When the diameter had eotten down to about 25 feet, the surface was almost in full agitation, there was such a mass of fish. The men got out at the outside of this circle and gradually pushed the net in toward the entrance to the runway, and the fish finally were all driven into the runway. Then the men took tubs and with dip- nets lifted the fish into the tubs, and as the tubs were filled they were carried about a third of a mile and dumped into the main river. In that small pool or lake in that one day these 12 men took out 98 tubs of fish, aggregating 560,000 buffaloes, rough fish and game fish; there were literally thousands of black bass, pike, bull heads, catfish, and crappies, and then of rough fish, such as carp. That is an illustration of the ia in which this rescue work is carried on. That was a banner day, I admit it, but the average last year of a single crew was 110,000 fish rescued a day. To give you some idea of the importance of this work, as I stated, in 1914 there were about two and a half million rescued. In 1918 they had rescued 34,000,000, in 1919 they rescued 157,000,000, and in this last season, owing to the fact that it was shorter and owing to the fact the wages of the men were higher, they rescued 116 750,000, I do not know that we can comprehend what that means. The pond fishes that are propagated in the 140 hatcheries of the United States, according to a statement I have given me by Mr. Leach, aggregated only 1 800 000. So you have in this rescue work many, many more times the amount of game fish rescued than are propagated artificially in the Government hatcheries. Now, as to the cost. Mr. Leach, in a letter to me of aie 14. states as follows: In reply to your question some time ago, regarding the cost of producing fish at the bureau’s stations, you are advised that during the calendar year 1919 1,800,000 pond fishes were produced at the various stations operated by the bureau. Their approximate cost per thousand was $4.42 for fingerlings No. 23. What does that mean? Mr. Leacu. That means 24 inches in length. Mr. Escu (continuing) : You will therefore readily see that the 156,388,000 fish rescued during the past season by the bureau at a cost of 20 cents per thousand furnishes a good illustration of the great value of the work. 6 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. Mr. Ranpauy. And the cost last year was higher than the year before, was it not? Mr. Escu. Yes. The cost last year was sat 21.7 cents per thousand, while the year before, 1919, the cost was approximately 20 cents. I think, gentlemen, that you can not put Government money to more valuable use in the matter of conservation and food production than in this rescue work on the Mississippi River. It can not be done. Now, as to the value. In 1918, the rough fish, that would be the carp and buffalo, amounted to 2,500,000 pounds, ageregating enough to make 400 carloads. They were shipped to the eastern markets, the chief market being New York, and the amount received therefor was $250,000. This gives you some idea of the commercial side of this remarkable work, not saying anything about the side of the angler. In a letter sent to me by Commissioner Smith, under date of Janu- ary 18, 1920, he states: During the season recently closed— That would be the season of 1919— 156,338,000 food fishes from 14 to 4 inches long, representing practically all the commercial species handled in the markets of the Middle West, were re- moved by the bureau from shallow landlocked pools along the Mississsippi River, and all but 820,140 of them were immediately returned to the main river. Of the comparatively small number distributed, only 10 per cent were shipped to distant points. The remainder were delivered to applicants, who planted them in waters connected with the Mississippi watershed. As is probably well known to you, all the fishes thus salvaged would neces- sarily have perished and have been entirely wasted when the temporary pools formed at the time of freshet became dry or frozen. Judging from the results obtained at the bureau’s hatcheries, where the losses on fish carried to the fingerling stage do not exceed 50 per cent, it is estimated that at least 25 percent of the number of fish salvaged in the 1919 operations will reach the markets within two to three years and that the average weight at that time for all species will not be less than 14 pounds. Figured on the average cost per pound paid. by commercial dealers in the upper Mississippi Valley during December, 1919, the fish salvaged by the bureau during that year will be worth $6,527,000 in two or three years’ time— Which is practically more than the whole Bureau of Fisheries cost this Government. Mr. Wurtrr. There has been introduced into the House and re- ferred to this committee and.by this committee to a subcommittee on fisheries, a great many bills providing for fish-cultural stations and work of that nature. Offhand, I should guess there are 50 or 75 of them that are sleeping in the sube -ommittee, calling for an aggre- gate of a good many millions of dollars. The subcommittee has not acted, I think, lar gely because we got a pretty plain intimation from some authority in “the House that ‘they could not look with favor on any such demand for money at this time. I take it you have drawn— and I want to get it into my head—you draw a distinction between fish-cultural stations, as they ordinarily designate them, and this — rescue work ? Mr. Escu. Absolutely. Mr. Wurre. And there is no suggestion of a fish- cultural plant in connection with this proposal of yours? Mr. Escu. Not at all; solely rescue work. Mr. Wurre. This is purely a rescue proposition, and we can dis- tinguish between that and this mass of other bills? ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. "4 Mr. Escu. I think you can very readily make a distinction. And I call another point to your attention which might justify favorable action on this bill, in that it also provides for the propagation of mussels in connection with the rescue operations. Mr. Cuinpsiom. Before you go to that subject—it may be this question would more properly be put to some representative of the bureau—are there other rescue stations of this kind in the country? Mr: Escu. There are no rescue stations in the United States. This work is not ‘confined to the upper river, but in the winter months Mr. Collier and his assistants go to the Louisiana waters, as Dr. Lazero knows, to do rescue work in the lower regions of the Mississippi. Mr. Cuinpsiom. And there are no stations anywhere ? Mr. Escu. There are no stations anywhere; this is the only one. And I will say the great field for rescue work extends from Prescott, Minn., which is about 25 miles below St. Paul, to Sabula, Iowa, a stretch of approximately 300 miles. The opportunities for rescue work in that 300 miles are simply magnificent. Here these millions and millions of food fishes have been going to waste year after year until this rescue work started, and we can only scratch, as I might say, a part of the ground: we can not begin to cover the territory because of the limited appropriation and limited facilities. The Cuatrman. Is this rescue work carried on by private enter- prise or by the Government? Mr. Escu. Oh, the Government has charge of the whole matter. Mr. Wuarre. What are the several States. in that neighborhood doing, if anything, in connection with this work? Mr, Escu. At first there was very marked hostility-to the opera- tions of the Government in this rescue work. Now they are heartily cooperating and giving and surrendering the right of rescue work. That is their own territory, and at one time they practically almost forbade the Government’s rescuing fish. _ Mr. Wurrr. You say they are surrendering; are they contributing ? Mr. Eson. They have, but I think the director can advise you more clearly as to that. I know at one time Supt. Nevins, of our conserva- tion commission of Wisconsin, attempted to secure some pike and bass for distribution in the inner waters of our State, and it was very simply stated that it was not primarily designed for rescue. Now. in connection with the propagation of mussels, which dif- ferentiates this bill from any fish-cultural bill and which, in my judement, would alone justify its enactment, let me say some 15 or 16 years ago Profs. La Favre and Johnson, of the University of Missouri, made experiments as to artificial propagation of fresh- water mussels, and they made some of those experiments in a little wooden station in my own home city. I therefore had the oppor- tunity of seeing a demonstration. They showed that a fresh-water mussel propagates in different months of the year; that the eggs of the ripe mussel can be expressed or taken from the mussel, put in a tank of water, and then, if fish are placed. in the tank, those mussel eggs or glochidium—that is the technical term—fasten themselves upon the gills, fins, and tails of the fish in the tank and there they follow a parasitic life of from four to five or six weeks to two months, when they are sloughed off and drop on the bottom of the stream and are ready to start their independent existence. 8 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. Now, we want, in connection with the fish-rescue work, to have fish culturalists in every rescue crew supplied with the right kind of mussels, so that as the tubs are taken from the landlocked pools and before being dumped into the main channel, the fish culturalists would place in each tub a certain number of glochidium, and by the time the tub reaches the main bank the fish will have been impreg- nated with the glochidium and it is all done in the one process. So that we will be distributing the mussel] all up and down the river and we can, therefore, propagate the mussel, which is much suited for propagation, for the production of pearl buttons. And Mr. Hull is here, in whose district are a large number of button factories, in the upper river, where it is a large industry, and one which, unless we produce a large supply of these mussels, will have to go out of business, involving many thousands of employees. Mr. Davis. Will the distribution of these mussels be universal; in other words, would they be distributed in such a way that they would be available in deeper waters ? Mr. Escu. They are put right into the river—— Mr. Davis. I understand that. Mr. Escn. The fish is impregnated and then the fish goes where he wills and each fish seeks its own spawning place and season. We do not know where they go, but we find they can be artificially propa- gated and the work is successful. The Government has already rec- ognized the value of the mussel production by establishing a hatchery at Fair Port, lowa.. I think it was established some 10 or 20 years ago. Mr. Davis. What I meant was this, Mr. Esch: It is not valuable from a commercial standpoint except where those mussels are in comparatively shallow water. In other words, they can not be gathered in any other way, can they ? Mr. Escw. Oh, they fish for the mussels in the upper river prac- tically in the main channels. Mr. Davis. With a form of dredge? Mr. Escu. They have rakes on which are numerous hooks, and these are dropped to the bottom of the river and dragged along on the bottom, and as the hook comes in contact with the mussel it grabs hold of it and is pulled up: it don’t know enough to let go. Mr. Cutnpsitom. Maybe somebody else can answer this question more readily, but what do we know about the migration of these particular kinds of fish you have up there in the landlocked waters ? Will they travel very far? Mr. Escu. I judge so, because the conditions are practically the same for hundreds of miles along the river; but I would prefer to have you ask the question of Mr. Leach or Director Smith. J think it ought to be realized that here is a chance for doing, with a small amount of money, an enormous ameunt of good, because fish are the cheapest form of meat food. STATEMENT OF DR. HUGH M. SMITH, COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. Dr. Smirn. I would like to concur in everything that Mr. Esch has said about the nature and importance of this work, and in answer to the question of Mr. Chindblom a moment ago I will say prac- tically all of the fishes involved in these operations are more or less ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. 9 migratory, so that when rescued fish in Wisconsin are returned to the main stream, those fish may be caught for the market in Missouri or Tlinois or Iowa or farther south. And when you innoculate such fish with the young mussels the fish will distril yute those mussels all over the length of ‘the Mississi sippi Valley. So that this really is not State work; “it is work which is interstate and very properly falls to the charge of the Federal Government. Work done anywhere in the Mississippi Valley at any point may benefit all the States in the Mississippi Valley. Mr, Lazaro. Dr. Smith, Mr. Esch a while ago spoke of some res- cue work being done in Louisiana. Would you | mind telling us what kind of work is done there and just how much work ? Dr. Smiru. That is a field that has not been properly developed because we have not had the facilities, but Louisiana undoubtedly offers fine opportunities for the rescue of some of the most valuable food fishes—black bass, and particularly buffalofish and catfish. Mr. Curnpsiom. I suppose the headwaters of all the big streams in the country would furnish opportunity for this kind of a station, would they not ? Dr. Smirxn. The opportunity is particularly marked in the Mis- sissippi and its tributaries, but we could very properly extend the work into the Missouri and the Ohio and various other of the major tributaries. Mr. Davis. How about the Cumberland and the Tennessee ? Dr. Smiru. If those rivers are subject to freshet and leave the fishes stranded in the farm lands, as on the Mississippi, then there is certainly a field and somebody ought to go in and ‘do the work, because this is a form of fish conservation which for immediate re- sults has no equal. We are operating many fish hatcheries, as Mr. Esch has pointed out, but if we had 350 hatcheries handling the same kind of fish we are rescuing we could not have exceeded by artificial means what we did in the rescue operations in 1919. It is an actual fact that 345 hatcheries would have been required to produce the fish that were saved from certain destruction by this fish-rescue work in 1919, and this work is done at a cost that is insignificant. About 80 per cent of the fish we rescued in 1919 were salvaged at a cost of 13 cents per thousand, all overhead charges included. Mr. Chairman, I prepared a popular article on this subject last year, thinking it would appeal to many people in various parts of the country, and, with your permission, I would like to pass copies of this reprint among the members of the committee. The Cuairman. I recollect a number of years ago’ we had quite extensive hearings in regard to the mussel business. Dr. Surri. Yes. Mr. Ranpatyi. Ought the contents of this article not appear as a part of our hearing ? The Cuatrrman. I think it might be a very good idea. Mr. Escu. You could not put in the illustrations, I suppose, with- out authority of the House; but the text could be put in. Mr. Cuinpsrom. I guess we could put in the illustrations if Dr. Smith can furnish the ‘plates. Dr. Smrrn. Yes; we have the photographs. The mussel industry, to which reference has been made and which represents an annual 10 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. value of a great many million dollars, with the dependent pearl- button business, is absolutely dependent on the presence and abun- dance of these fishes which we are rescuing, because it has been established that the different sorts of mussels which are made into pearl buttons must attach themselves to particular fishes in order to pass through the early stages of their existence. Mr. Cuixpenom. They fasten themselves to certain fishes? Dr. Suir. They have a predilection for certain fishes, and if those fishes are not there these mussels will not grow or survive. So that some of the most valuable mussels, like the thick white-nacred form popularly known as the “niggerhead” and having no other common name is dependent upon the presence and abundance of a kind of fresh-water herring, which does not exist in great numbers but which has been salvaged in very considerable quantities, com- paratively speaking . If those fish are not saved that particular sort of mussels is doomed to extinction, and these gentlemen connected with the button industry can say how serious a matter that would be. Mr. Frexerr. It would put us out of business. Mr. Ranpauu. These fish salvaged here are the kind of fishes that the germs, or what they call the elochidia, have a predilection for ? Dr. Surrn. Yes; because, as a matter of fact, we salvage every kind of fish in the Mississippi Valley. Mr. Wurrer. I wish you would put into the record a simple expla- nation of the process of propagation of these mussels and what part the fish play in it. Dr. Smrrx. These mussels, of which there are scores of species in the Mississippi River and its tributaries, produce an enormous num- ber of young, which are thrown off in micropscopic form in clouds. Unless the fish are present when these young mussels are swimming” freely in the water the mussels will perish. They will fall to the bottom before they have attained a stage of development that fits them for the bottom life. So it is absolutely essential these fish be made available to them either by natural or artificial means—fishes to whose gills they can attach themselves. These young mussels, which have the power of movement, attach themselves immediately to the gills of suitable fishes, and it is a part of our work in connection with rescue operations, and it is a part of the functions of our station at Fairport, Iowa, to inoculate suitable fishes with these mussels. And we are doing that work on a very extensive scale. Mr. Wuite. They attach themselves to the gills of fishes and sur- vice until such stage of their development is attained that they can drop off and go to the bottom and live? Dr. Surrv. That is the idea. They do not harm the fishes; they seem to set up a little irritation in the gill filaments and quickly embed themselves in the soft tissues of the gills and pass part of their existence there, extending from a few weeks to several months, de- pending on the kind of mussel. They then fall to the bottom and are able to look after themselves. The button manufacturers are very much interested in this work and during the past season, when we found we were not covering the territory as properly and adequately as we should, they them- selves provided the men to go along with our seining crews to assist in the operations and inoculate the fishes with the mussel spawn that ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. 11 was present in enormous quantities in all of the rescue centers. And that work, in which the pearl-button manufacturers cooperated cur- ing the past season, in October and November and probably into De- cember, resulted in the salvage of 5,841,000 of the food and game fishes of the Mississippi and we estimate that nearly 500,000,000 young mussels were inoculated on those fishes and started on their independent career. The CHatrman. How do you dispose of those fishes; are they sold to the market? Dr. Smiru. These fishes are immediately planted in the Missis- sippi because they are young; they are fishes that have come into existence during the period ot high water, which usually comes at a time when a majority of the fishes in the river are in a spawh- ing condition, and when the water subsides the eggs and the young are left behind. Most of the old fish are able to find their w: ay back to the main channels, but these helpless young are left behind and they are the ones that we rescue, and by the time our crews reach these landlocked waters the young have attained an average length of several inches. We regard this work as of very great importance, because of the enormous quantities of food fish we can save from certain destruc- tion. I may say we have never had proper recognition from Con- gress for this work and never had a special appropriation for) it. We have been carrying on the work because it seemed to be an ob- vious duty, and we have been paying for it out of our general ap- propriations and conducting it under our general authority. We would be very glad if Congress would indicate its appreciation of its import ance and give us ‘specific authority to carry it on, as pro- vided in this bill. Mr. Wurrre. How much money have you been spending in work of this nature heretofore ? Dr. Smiru. The amount we expended in 1919, when we reached the high-water mark and rescued nearly 157,000,000 fishes, was about $30,000, was it not, Mr. Leach? Mr. Leacu. Yes, sir. Dr. Smiru. That was taken from our general propagation fund. The Cwarrman. You propose here to recommend an appropria- tion of $75,000? Dr. Suirn. Yes, sir; because we have not begun to cover all the available territory. Mr. Cuinpsiom. I observe that the $75,000 recommended here is for the construction of buildings and for the pugehase of equipment, boats and accessories. Mr. Escu. And the personnel. Mr. Curnpsiom. And the payment of salaries of the personnel. Mr. Escu. That would be a permanent proposition. Mr. Curnpptom. That would be a separate appropriation, would it not? a Escu. Yes. Cuinpsitom. But the $75,000 is intended for buildings and Be ean i Mr. Escu. Yes. Mr. Cutnpptom. That need not be an annual appropriation ? 12 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. Mr. Escu. Oh, no. Dr. Suir. Once made, it would not be necessary to renew it. Mr. Cutnpetom. But of course the appropriation requested for the personnel would become an annual appropriation Mr. Escu. Yes. : : Mr. Cronpsrom. And the total of that is how much, Dr, Smith ¢ $14.200. I make it—about $15,000 per annum. Mr. Escr. You might state, Doctor, what would be put into the permanent structure. Dr. Smrru. We would need some buildings and facilities for holding the fish while they are being inoculated with the mussels and while they are being hardened preparatory y to shipment to dis- tant parts of the river. We need vessels; we want to equip a num- ber of new crews with the vessels and launches and with house-boats for the holding of the men and their equipment while the actual operations are poing on. Mr. Wurre. I do not ask this question as indicating any hostility of my own to this proposal, but if we recommend this ‘appropriation, is there an unlimited field for this kind of work, or would it prop- erly be confined to those few streams running through land of this general character, where you have this large rise and rapid reces- sion of waters? Dr. Suirn. The greatest need for this kind of work is in the Upper Mississippi. Mr. Wuirr. And we are not establishing a precedent that would carry us to. every other stream in this country, but only to the streams of this particular character where there is this rapid rise and sudden fall of water? Dr. Svirn. That is the case. And with the facilities that would be provided by the proposed appropriation for equipment and per- sonnel we would be able to care for all the apparent needs through- out the Mississippi River and its major tributaries. Mr, Wuire. This personnel could operate not only in the winter months, but, when there would be no possibility to do rescue work in the upper river, they could go elsewhere? Dr. Smiru. That is what we have in mind. Mr. Wuirr. So that they will have a continuous line of work? Mr. Smiru. While the rescue work, as now conducted in the upper half of the Mississippi covers only about six months, it is possible to do that work throughout most of the year by entering at present unoccupied fields. Mr. Wuire. An@there is a limit to the fields, we can propery say? Dr. Sarru. There is a limit, the available fields as we now recog- nize en would be covered by such a bill as this. Mr. Lazaro. Mr. White, a while ago, spoke of a number of bills for fish hatcheries that had been approved by your bureau, but that had not been enacted into law because of the hard times and the seeming unwillingness of Congress to appropriate the money. Do you not think it would be good economy for Congress. to appro- priate money not only for a measure of this kind, to rescue fish, but to carry these bills through and establish these stations, on ac- count of meat being so high all over the country, and fish being a good food and a cheap food and a healthy food ? ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN hey Dr. Surrn. We would be much pleased to see additional fish hatch- eries established in various parts of the country. I am not so sure this is the opportune time, however, because of the greatly increased cost of construction. In early times, when we got most of the hatch- eries we now have, the lands and the buildings and the ponds could be provided for from twenty to twenty-five thousand dollars. In more recent years we have found at least $50,000 is required for that purpose. And I am not prepared to say that $75,000 would be adequate with the present condition of the labor and materials markets. Mr. Lazaro. But in cases where the States, for instance, would be willing to contribute Dr. “Siri, I believe there is no authority by which a State can assist in the construction of a Federal building. That would give the State a hold which Congress might not be willing to permit. Mr. Lazaro. If my memory serves me right, I think in our State our legislature has given the conservation commission authority. Dr. Smrra. In your State, we have established a field station for hatching one of your most valuable food fishes and we have been doing most excellent work there in cooperation with your State conservation commission. Mr. Lazaro. You remember that when the legislature gave them the authority ? Dr. Smirn. Yes. Mr. Lazaro. And the State is cooperating; is not that true? Dr. Smirn. Yes, sir. We cooperate with the States everywhere, and our own effectiveness and the value of the State work is greatly increased as a consequence; but this particular station to which Dr. Lazaro refers is one we regard as a field station. It has no perma- nent equipment, can be moved from place to place, and has not per- sonnel except what we detail from other stations. Mr. Davis. Of course we all realize the increased cost of construc- tion under present conditions; but. generally speaking, would it not be a matter of economy to have more widely distributed hatcheries, on account of the cost of transportation for long distances and also the loss of life of the young fish where they are carried too far? Dr. Smiru. I think as a ‘general proposition, sir, there ought to be additional hatcheries because of the various points which you make. We have to distribute the hatchery output over very long distances now, in order to meet the demand, and railroad transportation for our young fishes has increased about 100 per cent in cost during the last few years. Mr. Escu. You have your own cars? Dr. Smirn. We have our own cars, but the cost of transportation has practically been doubled since 1914. The Cuairman. I have a letter from the Department of Com- merce explaining their interest in this bill which I will put in the hearing. (The letter referred to is as follows:) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Washington, January 11, 1921. My DeEsR CONGRESSMAN: In reply to your letter of January 8, asking for a report on H. R. 15525, to provide for the establishment on the Mississippi River, in the State of Wisconsin, of a fish-rescue station, I beg to advise that a full 4 14 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. consideration of the conditions would indicate the need for such a station. Asa conservation project it stands foremost on account of the great number of food fishes that may be saved and placed in waters where they will be of ultimate value to the public. By the conservation of this natural resource the food supply of the Mississippi Valley will be greatly augmented. Through the establishment of such a station, rescue operations can be more economically conducted than at the present time, thus resulting in the saving of public funds. As now conducted the personnel for the rescue work is drawn from four separate and distinct permanent stations, and it is therefore not as efficient nor as well trained as would be the case were a personnel especially provided for the purpose. The importance of the work as a means of increasing the food supply of the country can hardly be equaled in any other manner, cost. results, and quick returns being considered. The Commissioner of Fisheries advises me that in his opinion the appropria- tion specified in this bill will be ample for the purpose, and that the bureau’s output of the commercial fishes of the Mississippi Valley can be increased from 100 to 200 per cent through the agencies authorized by the bill. For the purpose of broadening the bill and making it of more general interest, it is suggested that in line 6, after the word “ operations,” there be inserted the following: “Throughout the Mississippi Valley.” Sincerely, yours, é J. W. ALEXANDER, Secretary of Commerce. Hon. WILLIAM S. GREENE, Chairman Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives. Dr. Smrrxa. Mr. Leach, who is in charge of our fish-cultural work and is personally familiar with conditions on the upper Mississippi, is here and would be glad to answer any questions that might be asked as to the details of this work. STATEMENT OF MR. G. C. LEACH, IN CHARGE OF THE DIVISION OF FISH CULTURE, BUREAU OF FISHERIES. Mr. Leacn. I believe the committee can better follow my remarks by referring to a map I have here. The places indicated with the black cross marks represent the points where we are at present doing rescue work. Those in red show the possibilities of the field, com- mencing with Prescott, Minn., and extending down into Louisiana. You will notice in practically every State there are lowlands along the Mississippi River which overflow every spring and in which the fish go in large numbers to deposit their spawn. After spawning the waters usually recede and the old fish, following their natural in- stincts, seek the main river and leave their eggs and possibly some of the young fish, too small to follow them, in the landlocked pools. Mr. Wurrr. When do the fish usually spawn ? My. Lracu. The fish usually spawn in May and June in the upper reaches of the river and in April and May in the lower sections, down in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. There is a large territory in the States of Illinois, Kentucky, and Mississippi, and there is a very large territory in the vicinity of La Crosse. Mr. Wurrr. When do the fish spawn up in the northern regions? Mr. Luacu. The fish spawn in the upper river—Minnesota, Wis- consin, Iowa, and Illinois—in May and June. Mr. Curnppiom. There is considerable room for this work in the Illinois River? ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN ey Mr. Leacn. Yes; there is a lot of room for it in the Illinois River. Mr. Curnpsiom. Incidentally, I think, the Illinois River produces the largest number of fish in the world. Mr. Leacu. The catch is possibly 70 per cent carp and similar rough fish, the remainder being bass and catfish. From Meredosia, Til., for a distance of about 40 miles each way there is a section that is entirely flooded during the overflow stages in the spring. Nu- merous small pools, bayous, and lakes are formed, in which the fish seek spawning grounds. Mr. Wurre. Are all these fish you have mentioned food fish ? Mr. Leacu. Practically every one of them; some few nonedible fish, like gars and dogfish are taken, but not many. Mr. Wurrer. Those that are not food fish are destroyed ? Mr. Leacn. We do not enumerate any except food fish in our list of fish rescued. The nonedible fish are either destroyed or utilized for fertilizers. Mr. Ranpatu. May I ask right here why you ship and sell what you call rough fish ? Mr. Lracn. The carp and buffalo ? Mr. Ranpatu. Yes. Mr. Leacu. The bureau does not sell any species of fish. However, commercial fishermen sell large quantities of carp and buffalo fish on the eastern markets. Carp are sold mostly alive in New York City. Large amounts of carp and buffalo fish are sold in the mining dis-: tricts and other places where a cheap class of fish food is highly de- sirable. In the bureau’s rescue operations 99 per cent of the fish saved are from 1 to 3 inches in length. Mr. Curnppetoom. There is a large demand for carp and buffalo in Boston. Dr. Smirn. You do not get the idea, sir, that we are shipping and selling those fish; that the Government is doing that? Mr. Ranpatu. My understanding was that part of the fish recap- tured were shipped to market. Dr. Smirxn. About one-tenth of 1 per cent of the number which we rescue are sent into the surrounding States for stocking the local waters, but they are not sold. They are young fish furnished gratis for stocking purposes and are not suitable for food. But there is a very large business in commercial fishing in this whole region. Mr. Leacn. Under the present arrangement, we draw our personnel from the Homer (Minn.) station, the Manchester (Iowa) station, and the Louisville station. These men must handle the rescue work, and this means that the output of their home stations is more or less curtailed. It means we must also take from the funds for the regu- larly established fish-cultural stations the money with which to con- duct the operations. What we require is a permanent rescue per- sonnel to take care of that work, leaving the present personnel to man the stations and handle their fish-cultural duties. Until we have a regularly established personnel for this fish-rescue work, men trained and efficient, who understand all this territory here and know where to seek the pools which dry up first, we are always going to be handicapped. We can not use new men in that field, because they have to know which pools dry up first and where they are to be found. 16 ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. Mr. Wuirr. Are the physical conditions such, as a general proposi- tion, that you can do your rescue work in Louisiana without neglect- ing it up here in Wisconsin and Minnesota, or vice versa 4 Mr. Leacu. I might explain that by saying that our operations start in the upper reaches of the river, at Prescott, Minn., along j July, and continue until December. What we call the upper river is that section from Prescott, Minn., down as far as Cairo, Hl. At the close of the work in December the eq juipment is stored and left at one of the main stations. Along in January, February, and March our crews are down in Louisiana and that section of the river. Down there they rescue the more valuable commercial species, such as the buffalo fish. Be- fore we undertook that work the eggs of the buffalo fish were sent to market and lost. Last year we were instrumental in distributing something like 110,000,000 buffalo-fish fry; and if our men had not undertaken the operations all of those fish would have been lost. The operations can extend northward from Louisiana to the mouth of the Ohio River, where the work would be undertaken in June, and in the Illinois River it could be undertaken some time in May. There is a peculiar situation in regard to the Illinois River. It overflows the dikes in the spring, and then the companies up there interested in land undertake to pump the water back into the main river. That leaves the fish high and dry on the land, or else they have to pass through the pumps, where they are destroyed. Weifind it advantageous to send men into that field during the season when they are pumping atid gather up the fish and put them back in the main river. Some two or three years ago, 1 believe, we rescued something like four or five hundred thousand fish at one point in just a few days. By working our crews that way they will be busy throughout the year. That is why we wish to make this bill broad enough to ine lude the entire Mississippi Valley. That is the only region where rescue operations can be conducted, and that is the work for which we wish the establishment of certain buildings. We find it advantageous to distribute some of the fish in the sec- tion outlined in red on the map and place them in the upper tributary waters of the Mississippi. I believe better results are obtained in this way than by putting them all back into the main river. It gives the people in that section of the country a chance to get fresh fish for home consumption. Otherwise the fish would have to be shipped in from the Pacific coast, the Great Lakes, or the Atlantic coast. They see no reason why they should not be entitled to fresh fish, and they are continually beseeching us to extend our operations. Mr. Cutnpeiom. I notice the station in the neighborhood of Cairo would cover operations in the States of Kentucky. and Tennessee. Mr. Davis. I do not think that covers Tennessee. Mr. Leacu. There are great possibilities around the region of Reelfoot Lake and Lower St. Francis River, in Arkansas and throughout southeastern Missouri, in the swamp regions. We have never had sufficient equipment to cover that field. All of our equip- ment has been purchased through our funds appropriated for fish- cultural work. Mr. Escu. You might explain how you connect up the large work of mussel propagation with the rescue work. ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH RESCUE STATION IN WISCONSIN. LK Dr. Smirn. Wherever these fishes are being rescued there are likely to be found pearl mussels in spawning condition, and it is the simplest thing in the world to open those mussels in a tub of water, liberate their free-sw imming young, and then put fishes into the tubs. They inoculate themselves. “By examining their gills from time to time, you can get a very good idea of the inte nsity of the inoculation, because the young mussels, which are light in color, show up distinctly on the red “gills. Then the fish are simply dis- tributed as though they had not been inoculated, and they are serv- ing a very useful double purpose in that way. Mr. Escu. And your experience as to the number of glochidia that a given sizeof fish can carry you might explain that. “Dr. Surru. Yes; : we do not ov erimpregnate the young fish, but do the work judiciously. The number we put on an adult fish at the special station at Fairport, on the Mississippi River, averages about 2,000 to 3,000. The fish are selected with reference to the particular mussels whose young we have available. Mr. Cutypprom. How large a fish would that be that would carry 3,000—a foot long? Dr. Smiru. Yes.