PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1939 79 
Lake management studies in Ocala National Forest—Field studies 
in Florida have been confined largely to the Ocala National Forest 
which affords exceptional opportunities for the investigation of lake- 
management problems, since there are a large number of lakes that 
may be opened or closed to fishing as necessity dictates. Surveys of 
these lakes have been carried out in cooperation with the Forest 
Service. A stocking program based on these surveys was initiated 
in the fall of 1939, ‘under which all the important lakes within the 
area will be adequately stocked. 
Certain immediate objectives have been set up for study and a 
group of 11 lakes has been set aside by the Forest Service, with a 
consent of the Florida Commission of Game and Fresh Water Fish. 
A second group of 8 lakes was closed to fishing in 1939 for the purpose 
of determining the fishing load which lakes of various food grades 
may be able to maintain with or without a stocking program. 
In the study of fish populations it is planned to “kill and examine 
fish of various food grades in lakes which have already been closed for 
scientific study. The value of this information lies in its applica- 
tion to all of the lakes in the area, and a more intelligent evaluation 
of their crop capacity. 
Intermountain Region—TVhe work in this region is under the 
direction of Dr. Stillman Wright, who has devoted much of his 
time to an investigation of Bear Lake. This lake, which is situated 
almost equally in “Utah and Idaho, at one time supported a large 
population of native trout. Marked depletion of the stock was 
noted as early as 1884, and presumably the decline has continued up 
to the present time. At a meeting of representatives of interested 
agencies at Pocatello, Idaho, in March 1939, it was agreed that each 
State would contribute $ $600 to aid the Bureau in a biological survey 
of the lake to serve as a basis for a mani vgement plan. This amount 
was later increased to $800 and 2 biologists spent the summer on the 
lake. The survey is being continued during the winter months by 
occasional visits to the lake, and will be carried on intensively during 
the summer of 1940, each State having contributed $920 for the 
purpose. 
The Bureau has continued to cooperate with the Utah Game Com- 
mission in the control of undesirable species of fish in Fish Lake. 
This lake is probably one of the most productive in the country, 
but recently there has been a marked decrease in the catch, especially 
of brook trout. It was thought that an important factor in the 
depletion might be the increased abundance of the Utah chub, Ac- 
cordingly, oreat numbers of these fish were killed with rotenone 
(derris root). There is evidence that the condition of the brook 
trout improved following the reduction of the chub population in 
Fish Lake, and this fact is believed to justify a continuation of the 
program of chub control. 
While most of Dr. Wright’s activities were concerned with the 
Bear Lake and Fish Lake projects, some attention was given to a 
number of minor problems. An inquiry was made into the cause of 
an extensive mortality of whitefish in Lake Pend d’Orielle, Idaho, 
and 1 week was spent in Colorado investigating a number of fisher y 
probiems. 
