PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1932 541 



is virtually the same as in the previous report, a decline of over a 

 million in the output of bass being balanced by a corresponding 

 increase in the distribution of trout and other game fish. The distri- 

 bution of commercial species by the States was onl}?" slightly changed 

 from the output of the previous year. 



The curtailment of income of the State fish and game depart- 

 ments, resulting chiefly from a drop in number of licenses issued, is 

 reflected in smaller expenditures for propagation. This handicap 

 was largely overcome, however, by increased efficiency in conductmg 

 the work, and through such means the output of fish closely approxi- 

 mated the figures of preceding years. 



Again the bureau wishes to stress a point emphasized in previous 

 issues of its reports, namely, that a numerical comparison of output 

 between the various States is misleading and unfair in the absence 

 of definite knowledge as to the size of the fish distributed. It is 

 obvious that a State distributing game fish of legal size, as a con- 

 siderable number of them do, can not hope to compete in numbers 

 with a State which plants newly hatched fish or small fingerhngs. 

 The fact that a State distributes twice or three times as many trout 

 or bass as another should not constitute a basis for invidious com- 

 parison without taking into account the details of their respective 

 distribution practices. 



SALVAGE OPERATIONS 



The comparativel}^ normal water conditions in the upper Missis- 

 sippi River area, including the Upper Mississippi Wild Life Fish and 

 Game Refuge territory, rendered extensive rescue or salvage opera- 

 tions unnecessary. The total collection of 51,611,367 stranded fish 

 represents a marked reduction from the all-time record of the pre- 

 vious year, being only about one-third of the number handled in 

 1931. The rescued fishes were mainly returned, as usual, to the 

 main channel of the Mississippi River, as is shown by the following 

 tabulation : 



Number and disposition of fish rescued, fiscal year 1932 



Locality and species 



All stations: 



Buflaloflsh 



Carp- — 



Catfish 



Crappie 



Fresh-water drum 



Largemouth black bass . 



Pike and pickerel 



Sunfish. 



White bass 



Yellow perch 



Miscellaneous 



Total. 



Summary by stations: 



Bellevue, Iowa 



Homer, Minn 



La Crosse, Wis 



Lynxville, Wis 



Marquette, Iowa.. 



Total. 



Delivered 

 to appli- 

 cants 



15, 730 

 22, 335 



79, 980 

 '66,'760" 

 "'6,"655" 



191, 460 



2,000 

 98,960 

 71, 490 

 9,085 

 9,925 



191, 460 



Restored 



to original 



waters 



600, 830 



20, 020, 600 



12, 043, 900 



6, 723, 105 



525, 375 



178, 087 



58, 485 



7, 826, 015 



16, 665 



266, 275 



3, 160, 570 



51, 419, 907 



9, 776, 885 

 17, 912, 590 



6, 782, 080 



7, 159, 695 

 9, 788, 657 



51, 419, 907 



Total num- 

 ber of fish 

 rescued 



600, 830 



20, 020, 600 



12,059,630 



6, 745, 440 



525, 375 



258, 067 



58, 485 



7, 892, 775 



16, 665 



272, 930 



3, 160, 570 



51, 611, 367 



9, 778, 885 

 18,011,550 

 6, 853, 570 

 7, 168, 780 

 9, 798, 582 



51,611,367 



