PROPAGATION AND DISTEIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 19 2 8 347 



vicinity. This tends to defeat the purpose of the nursery phm, as 

 it results in a \evy unequal distribution of fish. The present need 

 is not for more nurseries in fields already provided for, but for 

 nurseries in new fields. The furthering of the private rearing pools 

 is becoming one of the important activities of the division of fish 

 culture, and the movement is developing strongly in many of the 

 States. The bureau can not issue general instructions for the guid- 

 ance of those desiring to establish nursery pools in various parts of 

 the country. Each proposed project must be considered on its merits 

 and the plans adapted to local conditions rather than to an inflexi- 

 ble design. Personal inspection by an experienced fish-culturist 

 should alwa^^s precede actual initiation of work upon a nursery 

 enterprise. 



The experience of the past two or three years has shown that 

 bass ponds of the proper type are exceedingly rare, and it is difficult 

 -to find suitable sites for them. There will be opportunity to con- 

 struct 20 good trout pools for eveiT satisfactory bass pond. In many 

 sections the establishment of a first-class nursery for warm-water 

 fish is virtually impossible except at inordinate expense. Conse- 

 quently, the bureau has held that where facilities for bass rearing 

 are suitable they should, by all means, be utilized; but that mere 

 desire is not justification for initiation of work with this fish when 

 natural advantages are lacking. 



OUTPUT 



The aggregate output of fish and eggs is the only criterion avail- 

 able at the present time for judging the efficiency of the bureau's 

 fish-cultural activities. It is therefore gratifying to report that 

 the distribution of 7,036,317,200 eggs, fry and fingerlings for 1928 

 brings the production above the high record of the previous year by 

 about 550,000,000. Segregation of the various items making up the 

 total shows a distribution of 261,634,200 fingerlings, representing a 

 37 per cent increase over last year's figures, as the bureau's response 

 to the demand for larger fish. Strictly game species comprised only 

 2.7 per cent of the total output, although the bureau's work is largely 

 viewed by the general public as being limited to the propagation of 

 the latter species. The proportions of marine commercial species, 

 commercial species of interior waters, and commercial anadromous 

 forms in the total were relatively about the same as in previous years, 

 being 8.2, 8.3, and 4.1 per cent, respectively, while the percentage of 

 the commercial salmons of the Pacific coast was increased from 1.9 

 to 2.9. 



Summanj, ly species, of the output of fish and fish eggs during the fiseal year 



ended June 30, 1928 



Paddlefish... 



Catfish 



Buffalo fish.. 



Carp 



Shad 



Glut herring. 

 Whitefish 



Species 



Eggs 



29, 150, 000 

 29, 250, 000 



20, 000 



Fry 



8, 392, 000 



5, 500, 000 



48, 031, 000 



55, 000, 000 



117.188,000 



Fingerlings 



33, 000 

 87, 181, 600 

 2, 320, 600 

 3, 839. 900 



Total 



33, 000 

 87. 181, 600 

 39, 862. 600 

 38, 589, 900 

 48, 031, 000 

 55, 000, 000 

 117,208,000 



