Biological & Medical al REPORT -FISH-BREEDING : foo.OMINION.OF- CANADA 1887. $8171. REPORT OF MR. SAMUEL WILMOT, SUPERINTENDENT OF FISH CULTURE DOMINION OF CANADA. 1887. 6—1* CONTENTS. SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT. Condition of the Hatcheries.............0« Decractoctoco:co0 Scctntenno oo cavccecsacesecnacsencse Fry—kinds distributed in 1887...-..........-ssessccsceseseees ononcanconcoesess ecccce seceee Fry—Province and Hatchery bred in........... cocecccccccenceece eesecsenesesases taeeccees Eggs eyed or somi-hatched, where sent....sse.ssseessceccerssecences cxscese ceececsecees Kegs, schedule ‘of collection \....2.-. .-.sssasessase saessentetenacnstenseces eee eessevecara eens Schedule of total fry distributed since 1873.......c00.ssse0+ ceeeeseeee (>) I 0 OT th mw Ww HF ll ill oll ad AO REPORT OF MR. S. WILMOT, SUPERINTENDENT OF FISH CULTURE FOR THE DOMINION OF CANADA, 1887. The Honorable GrorGE EH. Foster, Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa, Sir,—I have the honor to report herewith on the condition of the several fish- breeding establishments in Canada, and to furnish detailed statements of the opera— tions in each hatchery during the year 1887. CONDITION OF THE HATCHERIES. The general condition of the twelve hatcheries now in active operation through- out the Dominion is of a very satisfactory nature. The whole of the available space for the reception of ova in many of the nurse- ries, is now fully utilzied, and with increased quantities of fish eggs which are being collected in eertain localities, some of these hatcheries will necessarily require increased room and additional apparatus for breeding purposes. These improvements will be absolutely necessary, should the Government desire to meet the increasing demands whichare being made from year to year from various sections of the Dominion, for larger supplies of young fish to replenish lakes, rivers and other waters; which from over fishing, improper fishing, and other destructive agencies, now require artificial aid to counter-balance the exhaustive drain so per- severingly made upon them. REPORTS FROM LOCAL OFFICERS. Subjoined will be found the reports of the several officers in charge of the individual hatcheries in each of the Provinces. In these are given detailed statements of the operations in each nursery, showing the qaantities of eggs collected, and the nambers of fry turned out from them respectively ; also the number of parent fish captured, together with other matter relating to the condition, wants and improve- ments of these hatcheries as will best promote their usefulness. NUMBERS AND DISTRIBUTION OF FRY HATCHED IN 1887. The gross number of young fish of various kinds hatched and distributed from the several breeding establishments in the Dominion during the year 1887, was in excess of former years, amounting in round numbers to 77,673,000; divided by species they were as follows :— Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) ...ccccecece coe cccevccecerseeece 7,240,000 Pacific salmon (Salmo Quinndt) .-c0eee .ceeeeeeerserercerereees 4.414,000 Lake salmon trout (Salmo namaycush) ..c.cererseseceseeeseees 3,129,000 Lake whitefish (Coregonus AlbuS) ...c+ece.seceeeseneeeseeceeeees 37,820,000 Lake pickerel (doré) (L1uciopercd) ...+....e-eeee-eereeeees - 25,000,000 Speckled tront (Salmo fontinalis)........c-ceoessceesessecoe oe 70,000 Grand | Totalecc.--osdecwssssessicscoess 702,000 ianmisone Hake March! 24th) <2. Jcccaccocossadeesecsaccccesveces 858,000 SIMMARPRIVEr PApril 12Gb -2.css secescescosecsevocn cars abode 309,000 Mountain Creek, April 14th..........cccccsescseee ceeeeeeeee 161,000 —_ -_— TG tall eres cen cccccdsckentese scence socadccsecsessecen most UO OOO Quinnat Fry, Pitt Lake, March 9th.............. Sloleieiinucebace ammenarevere 209,000 iWarrison bake; March 24th. . 2.00.0 sseccccss cecve cece 150,00 NomasehivervAprlTAGh. . occ cess see sec tecee jays 160,000 Bisrorhiver eAprila2thy os... sees seve ccleccics veces 450,000 Mountain Creek, April 14th .............eeeeeeeees 40,000 Ota eccccda succcccancecccdececleie st rae ee UUs UU) Grand total of fry distributed, 1887.3 S&W-QUAI SPOCIES....ec0e.2. ssece seecce Ieccscas! Bo 40D-000 Quinnai WAG ae -rerccccs -- 40,000 Gold do Lunenburg do ...ccccssseseerccrrerere 20,000 Middle do do GO’ bosecscbisccucccsscseecerel MAO OO East do do GD’ Nalibecsesecseccscocie cee RE aU0O La Have do do dO!» asedde se uicticdecesceesecees MAU OUD Annapolis do Annapolis dO ....sesseseesecerreseeee- 40,000 Liverpool do = Queen’S = Ones aessseessesceceeoens 50,000 Lochaber do Antigonish dO .........+ssssecseereeees 200 000 Potala. ccvieissedesseathe cepesbered Waa seacenee 1,350.000 White Fish fig Grand Lake, Halifax County... Sueidécnoncces devuasesed - 750,000 Hubley’s Lake, do dO ..secoees shesccceenesn ics treet 150,000 Governor’s do do OY ‘ou cdabves svseres Sic ceesececenee 150,009 Neal’s do do WO) ccknkedeeeeekcapweveeee aate ie ee 150,000 Sandy do do AO! saveccssveccesocvasvsecasevacsves 759,000 Williams do do GO) Ldsscvaveseecdesseatedss)--ceoeeeotl | UGLDO® MOTH co icc. cscs cvescuces esacesecsccevsnscvedes BOOM 008 Salmon Trout ied Lochaber Lake, Antigonish County... seadatseces cool Mou OOS Witson’s do Halifax COW es evssindee wees sckee ds 10,000 [ Total ..sesaseoes Alea eee bis Se hide 20,000 z = SES } ‘Total distribution of salmon........ sips beealefinctiaskascadceneca «- 1,550,000 do do white fish..........eccccecsesscses eseeee 2,850,000 do do salmon trout........ceee seceee sesanseecae) ||) SU0U8 Grand jtotal,...... sescocssvesossncaseieasnssaal S{2oU UUM) 26 The work of placing this large number of young fish in the several rivers and lakes was attended with perfect success, no loss being sustained worthy of mention. The plan which was adopted some years ago of erecting small temporary hatch- eries at the most remote points of the Province greatly facilitates the work of dis- tribution, as the eggs can be taken to those places before hatching, and from which the fry can be planted in the adjoining rivers with safety. In March last I received orders from your Department to place a large number of salmon fry in the rivers of Antigonish County, and knowing that the means of reaching those waters were such that, it would be quite impossible to convey the young fish such long distances with any degree of safety, I erected a small hatehery on the bank of Lake Lochaber, in which I put 200,000 salmon ova, and 20,000 trout ova, all of which were successfully hatched and distributed amongst the lakes and rivers of Antigonish County. While travelling through this county to reach the several rivers in which these young fish were planted I was forcibly impressed with the advantages this locality possessed for artificial fish culture. The county is interspersed with most beautiful lakes, containing water of a purity quite equal to that of any of the great lakes of the west, and apparently well adapted for tbe production of white fish, and salmon trout. These rivers, as well as those of the adjoining counties of Guysborough and Pictou, are large and important, and now that the lumbering and milling interests are about exhausted, an opportunity presents itself to your Department to make an effort to restore these rivers to their former importance by re-stocking them with salmon, and other commercial and game fish. At present, and from this Bedford Hatchery, very little car be done, and I would respectfully urge that a hatchery equal atleast to the capacity of this one be erected there. The Lochaber district being on the watershed from which the rivers run south into the Atlantic, and east into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and a3 withia a radius of twenty miles, the head waters of some twelve or fourteen rivers can ba reached,— appears to offer exceptionally favourable advantages for the location of a large hatch ery. The St. Mary’s River, an important salmon-bearing stream, 1s within four miles of Lochaber Lake, while in another direction the West River of Antigonish is about ten miles. From these streams an abundant supply of parent fish could be secured with which to fill the hatchery with ova. I would respectfully urge your Department to take into consideration the in sufficient hatching capacity of this establishment, having in view the extent o' coast line, and the large number of rivers that should annually be stocked from it The results that may be derived from the planting of such small numbers of fry each year in the different rivers [ have stocked, cannot be observed to a satisfactory extent, and it would require a longer time to effect any marked increase; whereas if each river received 200,000 fry annually, instead of 40,000 as at present, the results would become noticeable as soon as the increase took place. With a large and properly located hatchery in the western counties, and a similar one at Lochaber in the east, to supply the extremes of the Province, and confining the work of this hatchery to the central counties, a very large number of fry could be turned out an- nually at a less proportionate outlay, than by extending the work of this hatchery over the whole cf the Province as at present. Having no means of obtaining statistics of the catch of salmon during the past season On our coast, I cannot speak positively of the numbers, but, from the in- formation | have obtained I am led to believe that salmon are increasing in satis- factory numbers, and in some rivers the numvers entering in the autumn, are said to be quite equal to those of forty years ago. The reports I have obtained from the Masq uodoboit river indicate a marked increase of fall or spawning fish, and those engaged in lumbering on that stream inform me that this autumn the pools were full of salmon and sea trout, In Bedford Basin the catch this past season was nearly double that of 1886, and a large number entered the river in the months of Sep tember and October, 27 Capture of Parent Fish. This branch of the work, upon which depends the whole success of the year, a8 far as the number of ova obtained are concerned, is necessarily attended with a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety, and it is impossible to at all times guard against failure. Men may be engaged and nets set, but unless the fish reach them they cannot be taken. Having located the spawning sheds and tanks at points considered most suitable for the purpose, the fishing must be done at or near those points ; but if through high freshets fishing cannot be continuously carried on, the fish will rush up the rivers, and reach points beyond the scope of the appliances. Again, ifa low stage of water prevails, they will not come up to the nets. Unfortunately, the latter condition was met with this autumn, and I have to report a very small catch, as will be seen by the statement below; an unusual preponderance of male fish were caught, The fishing stations were located, as in former years, on the following rivers: Musquodobvit and Chezzetcook in Halifax County, and the West, Hast and Middle Rivers in Pictou County, from which the following numbers of salmon and ova were obtained :— No. of Rivers. Males. Females. Ova obtained. Masqudoboit 65 25 300,000. Chezzetcook....- 8 12 100,000. WWiGStitsiccececiscaccacscceccces saceaees 10 25 300,000. as tiitccccesceas 5 12 150,000, (Mid dlerttcececcesccee 3 4 50,000. Total...... Wecwcccaenccesccese 91 78 900,000, T am pleased to state that the condition of the ova at the present time is excep- tionally good. The loss to date has been very light, and as the embryo is now visible, I can with confidence predict a successful hatching. As the troughs are now occupied to but one-half their capacity, I have room for a large number of salmon trout, which, together with a full supply of whitetish otva, I hope you will permit me to obtain from our western hatcheries. I would suggest that these eggs be moved at the earliest moment consistent with safety, so that no loss by hatching during their transportation may be met with, and that they may be for as long a period as possible in the water in which they are to be hatched. In conclusion, I beg to state that the hatcbery and its appliances are in good condition, ard that no unusual expenditure will be required during the next year. A. B. WILMOT, Officer in charge Bedford Hatchery. 28 4.—DUNK RIVER HATCHERY. PROVINCE OF Prince Epwarp IsLanp. Report of the Officer in charge of the Prince Edward Island Hatchery for 1887. I have the honor of submitting my annual report of the work of this hatchery for the past year. As previously reported there were 500,000 young fry hatched in this establishment last spring, which were deposited in the following rivers :— i Dunk URiver cincesssacevccescsencueessqcsreursanpracusaninsessescsneece) i O0/000 Wilmot’s River........ 80,000 North Lake ............ 50,000 Johneon’s River ....... seedsesasaeces | D0L000 West CAN) I Mecomacasnlicendestnuchapeinweampecnane deretaoeck aces we 50,000 Trout $05 (oti 0) eetonciasvsccrsnscecectcccrecceteessease 30,008 Trout se NG WUONGON|.scseticceccesessstsesemesertesa/- 551 30008 Tynenvalley, River). sssssscccssccanussssrcocseesestaccenes eebesuseess 30,000 De Sable ROTI Rive ance abeeoes Sanaceenncrenenanesenecclestene 30,000 Crapand Soll ec sausantcecctiocsent covacecnccsae Brotaccencsincese 30,000 Tyron Kel) Sovovecavsslenstdscsancsaracnseveeduccddesdeccsercoes!) | MOSUUO Inspector qos>sS. oO Distribution of Speckled Trout. J. Gilmore, Trenton.....2.......-.cscsseee aeeanscenenensenseceaeear ae 3,000 Judge Dartnell, Whitby ............... Acct cbenonanssqcceeenouee 2,00 Robert Croft, Baltimore,........ Sessacesacinernecaessase Seecencecs ee. 2,000 George Neely, Dorchester ............ Qnbodo séechotncn nce eeed Bor ee H. J. Shaw, Brantford ........ Geo. Montcrief, Petrolea... J. Davey, London............. iP McoCannendow c-sccsssscesccacess sesticeecenetseneEtesscatcsesohiiocs 2,000 Ps2J Burkeqdoi ey, oe soscssce see RUSAOSRONID Seconda eoCeMBagAGCER 2,000 I. S. Leary, Freelton..........,....00..4 seslssueecinissevenserssesssess 2,000 Wide Daton; ‘Mapletons.-..0- & esert, : a SUE, sae ae Oo Claires reo J » ten LHP TS ca Featea ind ee ee a nea ~ Liban Ct yee, 5 VEEP gh ltrs Poke aa er ee wah payere pith qeecepoeteng | : : . f * FE at SY Meica ae ae Je Pete ait nets oat Fe Pruitt A 2 ARG ES eg ee Pap ed Gag y bat 4 he ed tes) pine nga bhatt 7 i web: Sane ae ‘ Phe att Sarat Cet ite ad A pane, Re “bia to Weeputse tsar th ‘ : iiokda 2 A Lok ieee? Fae OC re ein “ ere eee Ge ty Ae x ; “ec logical & Medical Serials PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY