PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1931 635 



pose a far more thorough and Hberal distribution of fish is assured. 

 Another vahiable feature connected with the working out of the 

 cooperative nursery scheme is its influence in awakening and fostering 

 pubHc interest in conservation measures. 



At the end of the previous fiscal year grave fears were expressed as 

 to the outcome of rearing operations at the cooperative nurseries 

 during the j^ear about to begin. The reason for this apprehension 



Figure 2. 



-Trout ponds of a cooperative nursery operated by Clare 

 County, Mich., and the Bureau of Fisheries. 



was the protracted drought, which at that time was reducing the flow 

 of springs, cutting down the supply of water in streams and lessening 

 the volume of lakes in many sections of the country. Many of the 

 nurseries were affected. Some suspended activities while others 

 reduced the scope of operations. Heavy losses were suffered that 

 would not have occurred under normal water conditions. A number 

 of organizations also found it difficult to continue operations during 

 a year of national financial stress. As a result of these conditions the 

 number of active nurseries declined from 125 in 1930 to 119 during 

 the fiscal year 1931. To these nurseries a total of 4,109,622 fish 

 were allotted, the species furnished including brook trout, rainbow 



