1184 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



TROUT DISTRIBUTION 



The distribution problem as pertains to trout is becoming more 

 difficult each year, owing to the general tendency to produce large- 

 sized fish. 



Wlien the distribution of trout is made during March or early in 

 April it is possible to carry 1,000 to 1,500 small fish per can, while 

 if the same fish were left at the station until September or October 

 not more than 100 could be carried in a can. With its present 

 facilities the bureau would not be able to handle the distribution 

 of trout from its stations were it not for the assistance of a number 

 of substations and cooperative plants. The fish are relayed to 

 these plants at a time when they can be carried 1,000 or more to 

 the can. In this way the distribution problem is minimized and 

 the bureau is able to accomplish considerable more work than would 

 be possible by making all distributions direct from its stations. 

 One car of fry delivered to cooperative plants in the spring, under 

 favorable conditions, will grow into 8 or 10 carloads of fingerling 

 fish by the 1st of October. From the foregoing it will be seen that 

 the intelligent assignment of fish to substations and cooperative 

 projects enables the bureau to perform eight or ten times more work 

 than would be possible if such facilities were not available. 



The distribution from cooperative projects is simplified by the 

 fact that their location is in proximity to the streams that are 

 to be stocked enabling shipments to be handled by trucks at a nomi- 

 nal cost. Moreover, the sportsmen often proffer their services and 

 automobiles for making plants of fish from cooperative projects 

 sponsored by their organizations. 



In order to properly supply the various cooperative projects 

 throughout the country it is necessary to remove during the months 

 of April, May, and June approximately 30 carloads of small trout. 

 This work is, of course, in addition to the general distributions 

 which the bureau conducts from its stations to applicants who have 

 not the facilities for rearing fish in troughs but plant them direct 

 in suitable waters. The generally increasing demand for fish from 

 3 to 6 inches in length — large enough to take care of themselves 

 in open waters — is reflected in the output of practically every 

 hatchery of the bureau. 



The Bozeman (Mont.) station formerly distributed its output as 

 fry and small fingerlings, but last year it reared brook trout until 

 they were 3 and 4 inches in lengtfi. To make a proper distribu- 

 tion of these fish, a car was required in the State of Montana from 

 July 1 until along in November. 



The Craig Brook (Me.) station last year, in addition to its gen- 

 eral distribution made during the months of May and June, reserved 

 several hundred thousand fish, consisting of brook trout and land- 

 locked salmon. The distribution during the fall months was handled 

 by special messengers with the assistance of one of the distribution 

 cars at a time when the services of the car were urgently needed in 

 connection with the general distribution from the rescue stations 

 along the Mississippi River. 



Another plant that within recent years has been producing large 

 numbers of trout is the bureau's semicooperative project in connec- 



