442 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHEEIES 



16-acre tract of land containing a large spring, and constructed 

 ponds with the view of holding and feeding until October the small 

 trout turned over to them during the spring months by the bureau's 

 hatcheries. In cases of this kind the bureau will inspect the projects 

 at regular intervals during the summer, and will assume charge of 

 the distribution of the fish in the fall of the year. The Texas and 

 Blockhouse Fish and Game Association, Williamsport, Pa., was the 

 first to undertake cooperative trout culture in the eastern part of the 

 United States. The ponds and troughs of this organization were 

 built under the supervision of the Bureau of Fisheries. 



Judging from the information now at hand, it is probable that a 

 number of cooperative nurseries will be established in the Southern 

 States and in sections where warm-water pondfishes, especially the 

 basses, are in great demand. The production of fingerling fish by 

 this method will greatly lessen the dependence heretofore placed on 

 the collection of rescued fishes from overflowed lands along the 

 Mississippi River to supplement the general distributions. The 

 facilities at the bureau's fish-cultural stations are too limited to meet 

 the demands for the so-called warm-water fishes, and it is not con- 

 sidered good policy to draw heavily on the supply of fish salvaged 

 from the upper Mississippi River for shipment to remote sections 

 of the United States. It is the intention of the bureau to make 

 each section self-supporting, so far as possible, in the production of 

 indigenous fishes. 



The bureau has pursued its formerly established policy with regard 

 to the collection of food fishes from overflowed lands bordering the 

 Mississippi River, In the prosecution of such work a great deal of 

 State aid is given in salvaging the fish from landlocked pools and 

 distributing them in interior waters. In this connection, the State 

 conservation commissions of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin have 

 utilized their cars to remove fish from the bureau's retaining stations 

 and plant them in suitable waters. Such assistance permits the 

 bureau to expend a larger portion of its funds on the salvage work, 

 and as its experienced personnel is able to devote more time to that 

 branch of the operations, it can render much more efficient service 

 than would otherwise be possible. 



Under the act establishing the upper Mississippi wild life and fish 

 refuge, approved June 7, 1924, certain overflowed lands in the upper 

 Mississippi River district will be purchased by the Federal Govern- 

 ment and set aside as natural hatcheries for the production of native 

 fishes. The lakes included in this territory will be supervised by 

 the fish-cultural force in that region and utilized in connection with 

 the rescue operations. It is the eventual aim of the bureau to pro- 

 duce the entire stock of bass and other fishes needed for distribution 

 to applicants and to return to the river aU fish salvaged from the 

 overflowed lands. It is probable that the adjacent States will aid 

 in the project, not only in a police capacity but in the acquirement 

 of additional land for its enlargement. The pursuance of such a 

 policy will be of great benefit to the States, as it will mean the expan- 

 sion of their conservation work. 



The bureau has followed its usual custom with regard to placing 

 spawn takers on the commercial fishing boats in the Great Lakes 

 region to collect eggs of the whitefish, lake trout, and pike perch. 

 The fishermen generally have cooperated in this work, and have 



