Biological Survey — Ekie-Xiagara Watershed 13 



in the ])er.soiinel. The Federal Bureau of Fisheries and the Prov- 

 ince of Ontario each detailed a biologist. The Conservation 

 Department placed 30 scientists including several specialists in the 

 field. The Buffalo City Health Laboratories contributed the serv- 

 ices of two of its staff members. The Buffalo Museum of Science, 

 also, made contributions to the personnel of the survey. The crew 

 of the U. S. Steamer Shearwater and the Conservation Department 

 boat Navette brought the total number engaged upon the project to 

 41 members. Nearly all were in the field from about the middle of 

 June to the middle of September. 



The staff was organized in four major groups or units with a 

 field director for each group and with plans coordinated to bear 

 directly upon the practical problems of the fisheries in the area. 

 These units comprised a lake unit, shore and stream units and a 

 chemical unit. In addition the several specialists were occupied 

 with various technical aspects of the problem in hand. 



The field staff is organized and equipped that it may function 

 as a mobile unit with adequate transportation facilities and with 

 apparatus and devices for the conduct of its technical problems. 

 This requires weeks of planning and preparation in advance of 

 the intensive drive for facts which goes on in the field mainly 

 from June to September. Many of the problems for their complete 

 elucidation require all the facilities of a well equipped laboratory. 

 This year, as heretofore, the staff has been provided generously 

 with such facilities in the City of Buffalo at the Buffalo Museum 

 of Sciences, at the City Water Laboratory and in the City Health 

 Laboratories. The office of the Niagara Frontier Planning Board 

 also placed at the disposal of the staff its facilities for map w^ork. 



Continuation Studies. — Our plan provides for follow-up work 

 so that on the completion of the initial survey of a watershed 

 there may be continuous, intensive study of one or more problems 

 which the survey discloses is important for the future welfare of 

 the fishery in that watershed. A continuation study originating 

 in last season's siu'Vey has been going on this year in the carp 

 control studies in Oneida lake and in the interconnecting canal 

 and streams. Those aspects of the problem that are being stressed 

 this year relate to the interference of carp wdth game and other 

 food fish in the spawning areas, their food and schooling habits, 

 their seasonal and local migrations and the methods of seining in 

 lakes, streams and canals. 



The carp problem is a troublesome one both on account of the 

 usurpation of desirable angling waters by this prolific species and 

 because of the general prejudice which prevails against the use of 

 seines in these waters. Scientific study of the problem provides 

 the basis of intelligent action. 



Another continuation study is directly correlated with the prac- 

 tical problem of bass culture. It deals with experimental studies 

 of control of the bass cestode (Proteocephalus amUoplitis)^' whose 

 ravages in advance cases greatly impair or completely inhibit the 



* See page 198. 



