584 U. 8S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
collections were only partly successful, due to the inexperience of the 
spawntakers, and only 170,000 fry were liberated in local waters. 
The Harrison Lake (Va.) hatchery cooperated with the Virginia 
Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries in setting up batteries for 
hatching shad on the Chickahoming River near Holdcroft, on the 
Pamunkey River at the Pamunkey Indian Reservation, and on the 
Mattaponi River at the Mattaponi Indian Reservation. Ail equip- 
ment for these stations was supplied by the Harrison Lake hatchery 
and operated by the Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries. 
These units produced 2,827,000 shad fry, and the Harrison Lake 
station produced 585,000 fry and 87,500 fingerling shad. 
GAME-FISH PROPAGATION 
The fact that sport fishing is growing more popular yearly is defi- 
nitely indicated by an increase of approximately 6 percent in the num- 
ber of fishing licenses purchased in 1938-39 over the season of 1937-38. 
It is estimated, including those who are not required to have licenses, 
that the total number of persons who enjoyed the sport of angling in 
1938-89 was probably about 12,000,000. To meet this mereasing 
demand the Bureau of Fisheries is expanding fish production as rapidly 
as funds permit. In addition to enlarging the existing units, several 
new hatcheries are being constructed in various sections. The Bureau, 
through the Division of Scientific Inquiry, is continually studying 
the environmental factors detrimental to the growth of fish. Such 
problems as the effects of pollution, flood and drought, and natural food 
supply are being investigated and programs formulated for managing 
vame fish of the inland waters so as to benefit the largest possible 
number of anglers. The following reports of the year’s activities at 
individual stations gives an accurate picture of the efforts bemg made 
to accomplish this end. 
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TERRITORY 
A number of new collecting fields were operated by the station at 
Leadville, Colo., resulting in an encouraging increase in the number of 
eyed eggs shipped to other stations and a slight increase in the number 
of fingerlings distributed. Seven species of trout were distributed. 
Several of the station buildings were painted, and the foreman’s 
cottage was remodeled. 
The unit at Creede, Colo., operated a new field unit for taking eggs 
at Electra Lake, near Durango. More than 2 million rainbow trout 
eges were collected from this lake, and the total take of rainbow and 
brook trout eggs was more than 5% million. Including eggs collected, 
eyed, and hatched on a cooperative basis, and eggs received by 
transfer, this unit handled a total of approximately 15% million trout 
eges. Much of the distribution was performed by other conservation 
agencies cooperating with the hatchery. 
The Eagle Nest (N. Mex.) unit is operated on a seasonal basis. 
Due to the long winter season it is impractical to produce fish larger 
than the fingerling stage. Approximately 3% million eggs were col- 
lected from wild rainbow trout. Almost two-thirds of the eyed eggs 
were transferred to other stations and to the New Mexico Department 
of Game and Fish. The hatch of blackspotted and rainbow trout was 
entirely satisfactory. 
