>> "*>*- Public Document No. 25 (Efjp (Sommanttiralttf of fflassarljuBrnB ANNUAL REPORT Division of Fisheries and Game Year Ending November 30, 1932 Department of Conservation [Offices: 20 Somerset Street, Boston.] Publication of this Document Approved by the Commission on Administration and Finance 1M. 2-*33. Order 7498 ^ CONTENTS General Considerations . • -> Personnel : ,, , Finances . Revenue* ....-• Conventions and Meetings . Activities of State and Local Organizations Education and Publicity Acknowledgments • Sutton State Fish Hatchery Fund (formerly Merrill Pond • System Fund) . Montague State Fish Hatchery Fund . Sunderland State Fish Hatchery Fund (formerly Amherst Fish Hatchery Fund) Other Gifts Enforcement of Laws ..... Legislation New # Recommendations for New Legislation Biological Section ....•• Stream Survey . Supervisor of Fish and Game Permits and Claims Deer Damage Claims .... Exhibits and Lectures Permits ...••• Wild Birds and Animals Statistics of Game and Fur-bearing Animals taken Water Fowl ..... Pheasants ..... Deer ..... Wild Cat Bounties .... Reservations ..... - . tha'a Vineyard. .Reservation Mar( Fenifee Island Sanctuary..- Other Sanctuaries ..'....* Public Fis-hing and Hunting Grounds Inland Fisheries \*' : . :GrJiai P.6i(& # StoejCed:^\Gfc|ed Breeding areas in Ponds and Streams Propagation of Fish and Game Fish Hatcheries and Game Farms—General East Sandwich State Fish Hatchery Montague State Fish Hatchery Palmer State Fish Hatchery . Sandwich State Fish Hatchery Sunderland State Fish Hatchery Sutton State Fish Hatchery Work of the Salvage Units Salvage Unit No. 1 Salvage Unit No. 2 Miscellaneous Salvage / / PAGE Ayer State Game Farm 36 Marshfield State Game Farm 37 Sandwich State Game Farm . 38 Wilbraham State Game Farm 39 Fish and Game Distribution 40 Marine Fisheries .... 44 General ..... 44 State Inspector of Fish 44 State Supervisor of Marine Fisheries 47 Enforcement of Marine Fisheries Laws 48 Shore Fisheries . 48 Lobster Fishery . 49 Lobster Fishery Statistics 51 Sea Crab Industry 52 The Mollusk Fisheries 52 Starfish Extermination . 52 Shellfish Permits . 54 Clam .... 54 Quahaug 54 Fishways 54 Bounty on Seals . 55 Note of Appreciation . 55 Appendix ..... 56 A Practical Method for the Disinfection of Fish Ova against Furunculosis ......... 56 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION Commissioner, WILLIAM A. L. BAZELEY, Uxbridge DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND GAME 20 Somerset Street, Boston, Mass. Director, Raymond J. Kenney, Belmont. Chief Fish and Game Warden, Carl G. Bates, Natick. ;Fish and Game Warden Supervisor, (Propagation) Forrest S. Clark, Holden. J Fish and Game Warden Supervisor, (Law Enforcement), Lloyd M. Walker, Shrewsbury. Biologist and Supervisor of Distributions, J. Arthur Kitson, Boston. Supervisor of Fish and Game Permits and Claims, Orrin C. Bourne, Melrose. State Inspector of Fish, Arthur L. Millett, Gloucester. State Supervisor of Marine Fisheries, Zenas A. Howes, Quincy. Biologist and Statistician — Marine Fisheries, Earnest W. Barnes, Roslindale. Head Clerk, Miss L. B. Rimbach, Medford. P.D. 25 £tjc Commontucaltf) of jffla**aci)U*ett£( ANNUAL REPORT The Director of the Division of Fisheries and Game herewith presents the sixty-seventh annual report. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS Recognizing the rising public demand for a decrease in the cost of government the Division has bent its every effort during the year to ac- complish this purpose. The details of these accomplishments will be found, under proper headings, throughout the report. The decreased size of this report is in keeping with this policy, and much of the material heretofore included in the report has been omitted in order that the statute whereby only a brief summary of the year's work is required, could be strictly complied with. The material hereto- fore printed in the report is available at the headquarters of the Division for those who are particularly interested in those subjects. Starting on the basis of an appropriation of approximately $24,000 less than that for the fiscal year 1931, the Division has continued its work without the curtailment of its activities. The entire work of the Division has been divided into seven distinct bureaus, and the various activities have been reallocated to place each within the scope of the proper bureau. The effects of this reorganization have already become apparent, but the results in later years in increased efficiency and economy are likely to be impressive. The propagation and distribution of fish and game has been kept abreast of previous years, and the following pages of the report will in- dicate that in some cases the distribution has surpassed that of any past year. A new policy was established whereby no additional land will be pur- chased until all of the present game farms and fish hatcheries have been brought to a point of maximum production, as it appears inadvisable to increase the overhead of any branch of the propagation work until full returns can be obtained from the plants now in operation. For all prac- tical purposes five of the six fish hatcheries have been developed to their capacity, and development work will be concentrated on the sixth hatchery during the coming year to compass the same result. At least two of the game farms have possibilities of expansion if that becomes advisable. Despite every effort to cut the operating cost of the Division, sufficient money has been spent on repairs and replacements to offset depreciation and maintain the lands and buildings in proper condition. The economies effected have not only offset the decreased appropriation, but have resulted in a substantial saving of money which has been applied to the purchase of fish and game from private breeders. From the private game farms throughout the State there were purchased 2,703 pheasants, the total number of privately reared birds meeting the biologist's re- quirements as to quality, that could be located in the State. This repre- sented the purchase of the entire surplus output of this industry. In a like manner, a total of 212,000 fish were purchased from the commercial fish hatcheries. In some cases the entire surplus of the hatchery was pur- chased and distributed in suitable waters. Thus the Division has gone through a year in which the loss of revenue has been considerable, with a record of accomplishments surpassing that of previous years. In addition, it has contributed its small share toward the assistance of private business in the Commonwealth by using funds derived from economic readjustments of the work, for the purchase of P.D. 25 5 fish and game which would otherwise find no market. This has resulted in a stabilization of the private propagation of fish and game in the State, and is a direct benefit to the sportsmen whose funds are used in the con- duct of this work, as more fish and game has been liberated in the waters and covers of the State than ever before in the history of the Division. The limited scope of the work which available funds will allow the Division to do in the field of marine fisheries has not made it possible to effect the same amount of savings in that branch of the work. Never- theless, every effort has been made during the year to secure the best possible results from the funds provided for the marine fisheries activi- ties, and no effort will be spared in the future to secure a high degree of efficiency in that work regardless of the amount of money available to finance it. The marine fishing industry has felt the reaction of the world- wide economic disturbance, and wherever possible the Division has lent its aid to assist in restoring the century-old and valuable industry. To that end the Division will continue its every effort. Personnel The outstanding change in the personnel of the Division was brought about through a desire to increase efficiency in the propagation and dis- tribution of fish and game. Heretofore it was customary for the Director to personally supervise the operation of the four game farms and six fish hatcheries, in addition to the general direction of the many other ac- tivities of the Division. It became apparent during the year that it was physically impossible for a Director to give the necessary supervision to this work and at the same time carry out the other functions placed upon that office by the statutes. In the distribution section of this report will be found a discussion of the change in the distribution policies, whereby all of the distribution work is at present carried on by the warden force. These two factors resulted in the assignment of Fish and Game Warden Supervisor Forrest S. Clark to a new position covering the supervision of propagation work at the fish hatcheries and game farms and the dis- tribution of stock throughout the State. The operation of the fish hatch- eries and game farms, together with the actual distribution work which is to be done by the wardens, will, in the future, be under the personal direction of Supervisor Clark. By reason of this change while the bio- logical section will continue to lay out a general distribution program, based upon its increasing knowledge of the biological conditions through- out the State through its survey work (recorded elsewhere), the actual distribution work will be carried on by Supervisor Clark and the warden force. This readjustment will relieve the Director of the incidental details in connection with the operation of the fish hatcheries and game farms, resulting in more time for the general activities of the Division, parti- cularly those relating to marine fisheries, and at the same time will make it possible to standardize the practices at these plants, which should result in a reduction of the overhead expense as time goes on. Warden Lloyd M. Walker of Maynard was appointed, provisionally, as Fish and Game Warden Supervisor to succeed Supervisor Clark in the direct charge of the warden force in the field. No addition was made to the warden force as a result of this change, as the position of warden-at-large was abolished and Warden Henry M.