PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1&25 477 



the situation, both as regards the pondfishes and the brook trout, 

 the bureau has endeavored to enhst the active cooperation not only 

 of the State fisheries authorities but also of many prominent fish and 

 game associations on a scale never previously attempted. 



Aside from unpropitious weather conditions, the principal obstacle 

 encountered in the pondfish-cultural work is lack of sufficient rearing 

 space. In an effort to overcome this deficiency the bureau is en- 

 deavoring to secure the use of land and water facilities at the com- 

 mand of numerous clubs and fishing organizations for the conduct 

 of rearing operations on an equal share basis. Its efforts in that 

 direction have thus far met with a most encouraging response. A 

 number of cooperative projects have been undertaken, and in some 

 cases organizations have volunteered to construct ponds and troughs 

 at their own expense with the view of rearing young fish, furnished 

 by the bureau's hatcheries, to the fingerling size before liberation 

 in open waters. The influence of such organizations has also been 

 beneficial in securing more effective State fisheries legislation and in 

 developing respect for fish protection on the part of the general public. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN TROUT STATIONS 



The eight stations and substations comprising this group are 

 among the more important of those whose activities are confined to 

 the production of game fishes. The aggregate distributions of fish 

 and eggs of the brook, rainbow, black-spotted, and Loch Leven 

 trouts and the grayling made by these stations compare favorably 

 with their output in previous years. 



BozEMAN (Mont.) Station and Substations 

 [W. T. Thompson, Superintendent] 



The results of the year's fish-cultural work in this field (the most successful 

 the station has ever experienced) are in a large measure attributable to the 

 close cooperative relations that have existed between the bureau and the Montana 

 Fish and Game Department. Since its recent reorganization, this department 

 has rendered valuable assistance to the station in its work of stocking the num- 

 erous waters throughout the State of Montana. 



Bozeman (Mont.) station. — The distribution of the large stock of fingerling 

 trout on hand at the opening of the fiscal year was made by one of the bureau's 

 distribution cars, the work extending from earlv Julv to the close of November. 

 During this period 1,074,840 brook trout, 312,000 rainbow trout, 155,511 Loch 

 Leven trout, and 9,100 lake trout of various sizes were delivered to applicants 

 or planted in public waters. The losses sustained while the distribution was in 

 progress aggregated 143,160 fish, or slightly less than 11 per cent of the original 

 stock. 



Of the 1,606,300 black-spotted trout eggs received early in the fiscal year 

 from Yellowstone Park, 310,000 were turned over to the district national forester 

 to be planted in the distant and almost inaccessible waters of the Lolo and 

 Missoula National Forests. From the remainder 1,270,000 fry were hatched, 

 these, in addition to the young fish on hand at the beginning of July, giving the 

 station a total of 1,473,000 black-spotted trout. All of this stock was distributed 

 in the advanced fry and fingerling stages by the car that was engaged in the 

 shipment of fingerling trout of other species. 



During the fall and winter the station acquired over 1,000,000 brook-trout 

 eggs, 500,000 of which were forwarded from the Springville (Utah) station, an 

 equal number from the Lcadville (Colo.) field, and 100,000 from the establish- 

 ment of the Southside Sportmen's Club of Oakdale, N. Y., the latter being a 

 donation in recognition of the service rendered by the station in securing from 

 the State of Montana a consignment of grayling eggs for the club's hatchery. 

 There were also obtained 67,600 eggs from a small stock of brood brook trout 



79810— 26t 4 



