STOCKING INTERIOR WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



By E. C. Fearnow, Superintendent of Fish Distribution, V. S. Bureau of 



Fisheries. 



SPECIES DISTRIBUTED. 



The cultivation of the fishes of the interior is an important feature 

 of the bureau's work. The stocking of inland waters, public and 

 private, is yearly becoming more generally appreciated, and a desire 

 to actively cooperate in this work has been manifested throughout 

 the country by persons interested in fishing as a business or for 

 pleasure. Among the fishes most extensively propagated for this 

 purpose are brook, rainbow, and black-spotted trouts, large-mouthed 

 and small-mouthed black basses, rock bass, sunfish, crappie, and 

 catfish. Various other species are also handled to a limited extent. 



There are certain regions particularly well adapted as natural 

 breeding grounds for such species as black bass, crappie, and bream, 

 as for example, the State of Florida and the southern part of the 

 State of Louisiana. It has not been found necessary to establish 

 hatcheries in those States, since their supply of fish can best be in- 

 creased by affording protection to the native species during their 

 spawning seasons. 



SPECIES LIMITED IN ASSIGNMENT. 

 SPINT-RAYED FISHEl? UNSUITED FOR TROUT AND SALMON WATERS. 



The bureau adopted the policy some years ago of refusing all 

 applications for black bass and allied species to stock waters of the 

 Pacific States and Alaska now preeminent for their trout and salmon 

 fisheries. This course was determined upon after a thorough canvass 

 of the views of those most conversant with the situation and was in- 

 dorsed by the officials of the States concerned. Although some waters 

 of that section are not suited to trout or salmon, the few instances 

 that may be cited do not impair the force of the bureau's conten- 

 tion for the exclusion of the species mentioned. There can be no 

 denial of the fact that bass, sunfish, pike, and similar predacious 

 fishes are antagonistic to trout and young salmon, and the bureau's 

 experience has demonstrated the impracticability of confining the 

 predatory species to specific waters where such are located in 

 proximity to trout and salmon streams or lakes. 



CARP CONSIDERED UNDESIRABLE BY MANY STATES. 



As carp are considered undesirable by many of the State fisheries 

 authorities, the bureau does not entertain applications for this 

 species unless the requests bear the indorsement of the proper officials 

 of the States in which the fish are to be planted. Even with this 

 indorsement carp are not assigned for waters suited for the more 

 desirable species. 



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