ESTABLISHING REARING PONDS AND A FISH HATCHERY AT OR NEAR MILLEN, GA. MAY 26, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. THOMPSON, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 2740] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2740) to establish rearing ponds and a fish hatchery at or near Millen, Ga., having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following: That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to establish and construct rearing ponds and a fish hatchery at a suitable location at or near Millen, Georgia. The purpose of this bill is to authorize the establishment and construction of rearing ponds and a fish hatchery at a suitable location at or near Millen, Ga. Your committee understands that such a hatchery would go a long way toward meeting the increased demand for fish in this particular area. For one reason or another, the section of Georgia near Millen has experienced one of the greatest developments of farm ponds. found anywhere in the country. At the present time fish are being shipped into this area from Orangeburg, S. C., Welaka, Fla., Marion, Ala., and other fish cultural stations. However, it is becoming more difficult to supply the increasing demand for fish. Your committee is informed that the Fish and Wildlife Service has already inspected a number of tentative locations near Millen with a view toward establishing a hatchery in that vicinity at some time in the future. The cost of establishing the facilities is estimated by the Fish and Wildlife Service at about $250,000. The Under Secretary of the Interior has reported in favor of the bill and in doing so emphasized the need for the proposed facilities. AUTHORIZING THE EXPANSION OF FACILITIES AT THE CAPE VINCENT, N. Y., FISH CULTURAL STATION MAY 26, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. THOMPSON, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 3040] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3046) to authorize the expansion of facilities at the Cape Vincent, N. Y., fish cultural station, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following: That, in order to assure the natural propagation and survival of the smallmouth black bass and other fishes, the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to rehabilitate and expand the rearing-pond facilities at the Cape Vincent, New York, fish-cultural station and to purchase lands adjoining such station in connection with the rehabilitation and expansion of such facilities. The purpose of this bill is to authorize rehabilitation and expansion of the fish-cultural station at Cape Vincent, N. Y. In recommending the enactment of the proposed legislation, the Under Secretary of the Interior, by letter of April 4, 1949, advised your committee as follows: The Cape Vincent fish-cultural station originally was established in 1895 for the propagation of commercial species of fishes. However, in more recent years it has been utilized for the propagation of warm-water fishes for which there is a great demand in the area served by that station. In fact, many warm-water fishes are shipped into that same area from Federal hatcheries located elsewhere in order to meet the rapidly increasing demand for such fishes. In order to operate this station efficiently as a warm-water fish facility, additional ponds should be added and certain changes should be made in the present facilities. It has been determined that economic operation would require the addition of some 10 acres of available lands primarily for the construction of ponds. The funds which will be required to bring about the expansion and rehabilitation of the existing facilities and acquire the necessary additional lands is estimated at about $70,000. AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO UNDERTAKE A CONTINUING STUDY OF THE SHAD MAY 26, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. THOMPSON, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 2501] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2501) authorizing and directing the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior to undertake a continuing study of the shad, alosa sapidissima, of the Atlantic coast with respect to the biology, propagation, and abundance of such species to the end that such Service may recommend to the several States of the Atlantic coast through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission appropriate measures for arresting the decline of this valuable food fish and for increasing the abundance and promoting the wisest utilization thereof, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: Page 2, lines 21 and 22, delete the words "War Surplus Administration", and insert in lieu thereof "War Assets Administration". Among the serious situations which have come to the attention of your committee involving the decline of valuable food fish is the sharply declining abundance of the shad, alosa sapidissima, of the Atlantic coast. This bill, H. R. 2501, would authorize and direct the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior to undertake a continuing study of the shad of the Atlantic coast with respect to the biology, propagation, and abundance of such species to the end that the Fish and Wildlife Service might recommend to the several States of the Atlantic coast through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission appropriate measures for arresting the decline |