10 COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



STOCKING FRESH-WATER PONDS AND STREAMS. 



Brook Trout. 



A number of the applications for brook trout which were received 

 by your Commission in 1915 have, up to the present time, remained 

 unfilled. This was largely due to the fact that the American Fish 

 Culture Company, from whom the Commission has obtained their 

 trout in the past, was unable to furnish fish of a satisfactory size. 

 It is hoped, however, to fill a large portion of these orders in the early 

 part of this year. An increased amount of rain-fall this past year 

 has put the ponds and streams in a much more satisfactory condition 

 than they have been for the past two or three years. 



Black Bass. 



A small consignment of black bass was received this past year from 

 the United States Bureau of Fisheries. This lot, together with a 

 number of young which were obtained from a small breeding pond 

 in the southern part of the State, was distributed in suitable waters 

 by your Commissioners. The supply while it was all that could be 

 secured was entirely inadequate to supply the needs of our State 

 waters. Your Commission feels that steps should be taken at once 

 to insure a much greater supply of this valuable food and game fish. 



Stafford's Pond. 



During the past season complaints were brought in to the Commis- 

 sion that fish of an illegal size were being taken from Stafford's 

 Pond in Newport County. An investigation was made and in the 

 investigation it was discovered that there were in this body of 

 water large numbers of small bass ranging from five to eight inches 

 in length. As this pond was quite removed from thickly settled 

 lands and good highways, our deputies found it very inconvenient 

 to enforce the law. Owing to this fact and also bearing in mind that 

 this large number of bass if made available for the use of the State 



