FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

COMMISSIONERS OF FISHERIES

OF THE

STATE OF WISCONSIN.

To His Excellency, Governor Taylor, and the Legislature of Wisconsin:

The Commissioners of Fisheries, appointed by the Governor under chapter 253, of the session-laws of 1874, are not required to make a report of their action under such appointment, but the importance to the state of the interests committed to their supervision, is of such a character that we feel it our duty to make a statement of what has been accomplished by us, and also to make certain suggestions and recommendations for the consideration of the state law-making power.

By the provisions of chapter 211, of the session-laws of 1873. five hundred dollars were appropriated, to be expended under the direction of Professor Spencer F. Baird, United States Commissioner of Fisheries, in promoting the artificial propagation and the introduction into this state of the better kinds of fish. A statement of the expenditure of that money furnished us by Prof. Baird, shows that the entire sum was expended for that purpose, the details of which are in the hands of the State Treasurer. Of the fry of the spawn of that year, several thousand were placed in the lakes at Madison, and also several thousand in Geneva Lake. As near as

we can estimate, 20,000 salmon were distributed in these waters. They were hatched at the private hatching-house of H. S, Dousman, Esq., at Waterville, in Waukesha county.

Under the act authorizing the appointment of commissioners, the sum of $360 was appropriated for the purpose contemplated in the law, and was to be expended under the direction of the commissioners thereafter to be appointed by the Governor. With the funds placed at our disposal, we have been able to do but little.

We received, through Mr. Baird, 100,000 spawn of the California salmon. These were sent direct from San Francisco to Boscobel, in this state, and came unattended as express matter. Mr. Palmer, one of the Commissioners, and who owns a private hatching-house at Boscobel, undertook the hatching and distributing process. From these spawn he hatched some 61,000 fry, in excellent condition, unusually strong and healthy. At the date of preparing this report, 19,000 had been distributed in the waters of Grant, Crawford and Lafayette Counties. The residue were to be distributed in the northeastern counties and among the lakes and rivers of Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Winnebago.

The following itemized account shows the expenses thus far in curred:

The above is Mr. Palmer's account for cash expenditures and services, and we have drawn upon the appropriation for that sum. Forty-six dollars yet remain in the treasury, and will not fully pay the necessary expenses of distributing the remainder of the fry. It has been our wish to have the cost of distribution paid by the cities and towns located on public waters, and we hope in time to create such an interest in the matter of fish-culture that this will be done. It may be proper to add that the common council, of the city of Madison, appropriated the money necessary to pay expenses of taking the fry from Waterville to Madison, and the same may have been the case with Geneva.

The General Government has systematized the matter of fishculture, appropriating for that purpose upwards of $30,000 annually, and placed at its head Professor Baird. Under his efficient management immense quantities of the spawn of the better varieties of fish are secured, and are distributed gratis to states provided with commissioners. They are only expected to pay expressage, which is very trifling in amount. We were very much gratified in receiving from Mr. Baird his congratulations on the creation of a commission in Wisconsin. Under date of March 26, 1874, he says:

"I am very much pleased to learn that Wisconsin has joined the ranks of the states provided with fish commissioners, and I have no doubt, that by a careful consideration of the questions connected with the interior fisheries, measures will be adopted by which the food resources of your state can be materially improved."

Thirteen states are already provided with commissioners, named respectively as follows: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Californiaa, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Maine is the pioneer, having entered upon her ninth year. The seventh annual report of the commissioners of New York will soon be due. The other states followed in rapid snccession, and before many years we have no doubt that the matter of fish-culture will engage the attention of every state in the Union.

Many and various experiments have been made in New York, in respect to acclimating to their waters different varieties of valuable fish. Under the skillful management of Hon. Seth Green, superintendent, success has generally attended these experiments. In his labors he has received the encouragement and aid of Horatio Seymour, Geo. G. Cooper, and Robert B. Roosevelt, from the start, we believe, fish commissioners of New York. These gentlemen enjoy national reputations and their endorsement of fish-culture is worthy of consideration. In closing their fourth annual report, these gentlemen say:

"We point with pride to what has been done during the past few years, and with the small sum at our disposal we rely with confidenceon a greater measure of success in the future."

Without enlarging, we may add that in all the reports of the commissioners of fish before us, they speak but one language, and that is of the most encouraging character. The fisheries of New

York, Maine, Connecticut and Pennsylvania are being largely increased, barren waters are becoming productive, and the people are beginning to reap the harvest of success in an increased supply of wholesome diet and at a greatly reduced cost. Considering that fish-culture by artificial means is not a dozen years old in this country, with the success already attained, the future is full of promise. We have passed the day of experiment and with the experience of the states named, we have only to go to work with a certainty of a highly remunerative return for our labor and expenditure. But to do this we must have money.

In the first place we ask the state to make a suitable appropriation of money, to enable the Fish Commissioners to prepare a proper site and erect a state hatching-house. These sites are not abundant in the state. We must have a fair scope of land near some railway centre, living water of proper temperature, and a full sufficiency for the accommodation of hatching troughs and ponds. To give a fair conception of what kind of a hatchery we want, we copy the following outside description of that in New York:

"The hatching-house is situated at Caledonia, N. Y. It is built on ground leased from the well known fish-breeder, Mr. A. S. Collins. who owns the streams and ponds formerly belonging to Seth Green. This site is the finest by far in the United States for such a purpose. An estimated flow of sixty barrels of water per second is furnished by springs within the distance of half a mile. The stream varies much less than is usual, with such waters in volume and temperature; is full of the finest flavored speckled trout, and the ground around the hatching-house is especially favorable for constructing ponds and for the various purposes of fish-breeding.

"The hatching-house is so constructed that a fall of three feet of water can be used. It is built of hemlock timber, is fifty feet long by twenty feet wide, one and a half stories high, and the commissioners claim is the cheapest hatching house, and yet, so arranged to turn out the greatest number of fish of any in the United States."

The interior is supplied with troughs, feed-pipes-in which filters are inserted before the faucets, which admits the water into the troughs-waste-pipes, &c. The work is rough in the main and inexpensive. The principal cost of such an establishment would attach to the ground. We should not want near the current of water