DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,

43
arrived here I took one lot of 60,000 to Lochaber, Antigonish County, and a second
lot of 50,000 to Sheet Harbor; these were placed in the troughs of the temporary
hatcheries erected there and with these the most perfect success was met with
in hatching them. These hatcheries, being used only for a few weeks in
the spring of the year, while well and conveniently arranged for the purpose,
have not the numerous appliances for carrying out the work that the main or central
establishment is provided with, and in consequence large quantities of filth and sedi.
mentary matter are at times carried in to the troughs and deposited upon the ova.
This occurred at these points on several occasions and necessitated severe handling
of the ova, in order to cleanse them, but notwithstanding this, almost every egg
hatched and the young fish, after emerging from the shell, was stronger and more
lively than were the salmon ova hatched under similar circumstances, and I am
informed by the parties in charge of them, that, when turned into the lakes they were
in perfect condition and had outgrown the salmon. The reverse was the case with
those retained in this hatchery; as stated before, nearly all died when bursting from
the shell, and the few that survived I found almost impossible to save until the proper
time for distribution. Fearing the supply of water to the troughs set aside for the
hatching of these fish was insufficient, I procured four large galvanized tanks, which
were placed on a foundation outside of the hatching room, and the young fish put in
them, and a bountiful supply of water turned on, but in spite of every effort they
continued dying, so that when at the proper age for distribution, but a small percentage
of them was left.
These eggs, from the time they were placed in the troughs here until hatched,
received the closest attention, and no sediment or fungoid matter permitted to remain
upon them for a moment. Having failed in past years with this particular kind of
ilsh, I was determined to succeed this season if possible, yet I was doomed to disap.
pointment. I have now concluded that the water with which this hatchery is
supplied is of such a nature as to be injurious and detrimental to the growth of the
young salmon trout, and that it will be useless to make any further attempt here.
Should the department contemplate continuing the effort to stock the lakes of this
Province with salmon trout, the little hatcheries erected throughout the more remote
counties can be utilized for that purpose, and to this end I would respectfully suggest
that they be enlarged so that room may be provided for the usual number of salmon
ova, in addition to the numbers of trout ova, that may be sent them.
This hatchery can be used as a point at which the ova may be reed ved from
Ontario and from which the several quota may be sent to the outlying points. Since
the first attempt on the part of your department to introduce the whitefish and
salmon trout into the inland waters of this Province, a very general desire has arisen
amongst fishermen and others interested that these efforts be continued on a liberal
£cale, Covered, as this Province is to one-fifth its area, by large and deep lakes, it
presents a very favorable field for the creation of an extensive inland fishery, which,
if once established and properly nurtured thereafter, might attain almost unlimited
possibilities. The completion of new lines of railways, now under construction and
in contemplation, will open the interior of the Province where the best of these lakes
are situated to the markets of the continent, and add materially to the value of the
fisheries of Nova Scotia.
Distribution of Fr'.
The distribution of the various kinds of young fish hatched in this institution
last spring was successfully effected amongst the lakes and rivers as per following
£chedule :—
Salmon Fry.
Musquodoboit River, Halifax County ... 80,000
Sackville do do do 80,000
Nine Mile do do do 80,000
Pennant do do do 40,000
Indian do do do 40,000