Report of the commissioner for 1875-1876.

  • United States Fish Commission
Date:
[1878]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the commissioner for 1875-1876. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    39/1102 page 25
    The Atlantic Salmon in 1876. Nothing was done during the years 1S75 and 1S7G in connection with the Atlantic Salmon, although the establishment at Bucksport was maintained in a condition of proper efficiency, under the direction of Mr. Charles G. Atkius. This work had been carried on with the co- operation of the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts, and the United States Commissioner concurred with the commissioners of those States in the piopriety of discontinuing effort until the results of the labors of the several preceding years had been determined. The Landlocked Salmon. Instead of co-operating, as heretofore, in the propagation of the sea or Atlantic Salmon, it was decided by the United States Commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioners of Connecticut and Massachu- setts, to experiment upon the Landlocked Salmon, a fish at one time thought to be a distinct species, but now pretty well established as being really a landlocked sea salmon, or, in other words, a JSalmo salar, which, for some reason, has remained in the fresh waters instead of going to the sea, and by restriction in run has been reduced in size, while maintaining all the characteristics of its larger relative as to flesh and attractiveness to the angler. This fish is found in a number of lakes in Maine, especially the Sebago, the Sebec, and Reed’s Ponds, and the lakes connected with the Saint Croix in Maine and New Brunswick. A similar variety occurs also in numerous waters in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and also in the vicinity of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the lower portions of the river. The fish varies in size from that of the Sebago Ponds, which sometimes reaches ten or fifteen pounds, to that of the Grand Lake Stream, where one of three pounds is quite an un- usual maximum. The first experiment in regard to the Landlocked Salmon made by the United States Fish Commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioners of Connecticut and Massachusetts, was in 1873, at Sebec Lake, where, under the direction of Mr. H. L. Leonard, the necessary works were erected. This was the first formal effort in the direction of reproducing the Landlocked Salmon, although experiments on a small scale had been made previously by private parties. The results of the first year’s opera- tions at Sebec were not very satisfactory, only 24,000 eggs being obtained, which were divided between the United States Commission and the com- missioners of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. A second season of experiment at Sebec in 1874 was not more satis- factory, and it was concluded to transfer the seat of operations in 1875 to Grand Lake Stream. This is connected with Grand Lake, one of the series of ponds tributary to the Saint Croix River, within a com- paratively short distance of the village of Calais, in Maine. The neces- sary arrangements having been made with Messrs. Shaw, the proprietors
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