Annual Report

FISH COMMISSION.

OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FISH AND FISHERIES,
COLUMBIA, S. C., October 31, 1884.

Hon. A. P. BUTLER, Commissioner of Agriculture.

SIR: In submitting this, the Fifth Annual Report of the work done by the Fish Commission, I deem it unnecessary to present in detail what has been done in a preliminary way looking to a fuller development of the important and growing work that you have in hand, and will, therefore, note briefly the actual work accomplished.

The usual season's work on Edisto River began about the 1st of March and closed April 5. With five trusty assistants all the shad nets on the river, numbering about forty, and fishing 10 to 15 miles along the river, were closely attended, and all the fish caught handled carefully, which resulted in a take of 440,200 eggs.

The tin cones that were formerly used were discarded and twelve McDonald hatching jars substituted, which worked beautifully and gave a larger per cent. of fry than any apparatus ever before in use. The jars are made of glass, and so adjusted as to admit of the removal of all dead eggs as soon as developed, which leaves the healthy ones free from the contaminating influence of what would otherwise prove fatal. The fry as fast as hatched are taken through overflow tubes and deposited in clean tanks prepared for their reception. The jars being of glass, the hatching can be carefully noted at every stage of development, and an accurate count made of eggs before placed in the jars and just before the fry leave the shell, so a more correct count can be made of the number of fish released in the use of these jars than in any other way. The eggs are carefully measured before placed in the jars and recorded at 20,000 to the quart (which I have ascertained to be correct by actual count). They are then carefully attended, and by the time the fish are ready to be released from the shell all dead have been removed and the contents of the jars is a living mass. The water is then shut off and the eggs allowed to settle, when they are again measured, which gives the actual number of fish ready to be released from the shell. With due respect for past counts by the old and unreliable mode of estimating the losses, and deducting from the whole, I must say that the actual number of fish can be more nearly arrived at in this way, and that the bulk released is greater. From the 440,200 eggs taken, we released in the finest possible condition 334,000 fry in the waters of Edisto, near Williston.

On application to Prof. Baird, United States Fish Commissioner, he kindly sent to this State a shipment of young shad, which were placed in tributaries of Savannah River.

As has been stated in previous Reports, the number of shad eggs to be obtained in our own waters are far short of the numbers necessary to a speedy recuperation of our streams, and while the United States Fish Commission has responded promptly to our calls upon it for help, these are so numerous from all over the country that we cannot look for more from it, but should make an effort to collect eggs outside of the State where it is practicable. Last Spring while in Washington, I received information that would have enabled us to collect and ship to South Carolina a large number of eggs, but not having the means at my command, was unable to accomplish anything.

German Carp.

The success that our people have met with in the cultivation of this fish in our waters has been all that could have been desired, and is such as to have more than doubled the demand each year since the first were distributed. At the time of distribution the past year, there was on file over one thousand applications, coming from every County in the State. Of this, eight hundred and sixty-four were shipped; ninety-two receiving 16 fish each, and seven hundred and seventy-two receiving 20 each, as is shown in tabular statement; making a total of 16,912.

We are indebted to the United States Commissioner for something over thirteen thousand of this number, thirty-five hundred having been obtained from the State ponds.

The greater number of the applications have come from the upper Counties, and from localities where the success of individuals with the carp has clearly demonstrated the results to be obtained. There are many who have lost the fish sent them by insecure dams-but the fish lost to them have helped stock the public waters, which fact is attested by reports from different parts of the State, showing that carp are becoming common in our rivers.

Knowing the merits of this fish and the ease and comparatively small cost with which it can be propigated, it seems to me that no more profitable expenditure of money could be made than to construct large ponds in some suitable place on some of the rice fields of the State, which would insure annually large numbers of young fish with which to stock the public waters. Mention of this was made in the last Annual Report by your Superintendent, and subsequently an inspection made of what he deemed a place suitable in every respect for the purpose, and a full report submitted to the Board of Agriculture. The report was received by the Board, but action was postponed for future consideration.

I would again call it to your attention, and urge that the work be done before another season. We now have in the State ponds fish enough to stock twenty acres, and produce sufficient fry to supply all applications for private ponds, and give to each County in the State several thousand for public waters.

Fish-Ways.

The problem of effective fish-ways has received the attention of Fish Commissioners throughout the United States for some time past and seems to have been at last settled by the invention of Col. M. McDonald, of Virginia. He has recently perfected a way that promises to give entire satisfaction, and is, in fact, in successful operation in many of the States, two having been put up by the South Carolina Commission, as reported in the last Report. Both were inspected by Col. McDonald in person and said to be properly constructed. Their efficiency has been. greatly impaired, however, for need of repairs and proper attention on the part of dam owners. The Commissioner, under the law, can only enforce the law in regard to fish-ways through the County Commissioners, and without their co-operation he is powerless. Could this be so altered as to allow him power to deal directly with the parties themselves, it would greatly facilitate matters and the object in view be attained, which, otherwise, is practically impossible.

The fish-way at Augusta, Ga., which was being constructed at the time of my last report, only needs attention to be entirely efficient. Mr. H. H. Townes, who lives on the river near the way, in writing to the Augusta paper about the fishing at the locks, says: "The fish-way is a success, for fish can and do ascend it."

While the Savannah River is controlled entirely by Georgia, the charter obtained by the Edgefield Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company to construct a dâm across the river to the South Carolina side provides that a free passage for fish shall be left in the river. Under this charter we claimed the right of a fish-way, which we now have in operation at the expense of the city of Augusta, which now owns the dam. South Carolina cannot prevent the fishing which is being done at the foot of the way, and which will make it useless unless prohibited.

I would therefore take this opportunity to call on the authorities of Georgia for their co-operation in this work, and to see that the work already done by this State is not rendered useless by illegal fishing.

It has been deemed best that the general construction of fish-ways throughout the State, as required by law, should be postponed until we could with some certainty put up such a one as we could reasonably

expect to work. This we find in the McDonald way, and will take the necessary steps during the coming year to secure ways wherever needed.

In conclusion, I would say that the attention of your Superintendent has been given entirely to the exhibit now in course of preparation for the New Orleans Exposition since the 1st of June, and that the work herein reported was done previous to that time.

All requests for free transportation of men and cans have been promptly granted by the officials of the several railroads throughout the State, and our efforts greatly facilitated by them, for which we herewith tender our sincere thanks.

I am your obedient servant,

C. J. HUSKE, Superintendent Fish and Fisheries.

RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS OF FISH COMMISSIONER FROM NoVEMBER 1, 1883, TO OCTOBER 31, 1884.