468 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



ASSIGNMENTS OF FISH AND FISH EGOS TO STATES, TERRITORIES, 

 AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES 



Six foreign countries and the Territory of Puerto Rico were tlie 

 recipients of fish or fish eggs produced at Bureau hatcheries. Each 

 year there are requests for the acclimatization of American food and 

 game fishes in foreign countries. A number of the shipments referred 

 to in table 3 were in continuation of programs previously started. 

 The Bureau has for several years supplied raw material in the fonn 

 of fish eggs or fingerling fish for the hatchery operated by the Puerto 

 Rican Department of Agriculture. Rainbow eggs shipped to Vene- 

 zuela were to augment a pre\dous consignment from which a large 

 part of the fish were lost after their successful hatching in Venezuela. 



It will be noted that the rainbow trout was the mo^ popular 

 species, due to the hardiness and adaptability of this member of the 

 trout family. 



Both the Mexican and Argentine Governments now operate their 

 own hatchery facilities and the egg shipments made by the Bureau 

 were as a measure of cooperation with these countries. Lake-trout 

 eggs were shipped to Switzerland a number of years ago and their 

 successful development in certain Alpine lakes prompted the Swiss 

 Government to request a further consignment. The assignment of 

 one-half million brook-trout eggs to Canada was on an exchange 

 basis, since the Bureau was the recipient of an equal number of lake- 

 trout eggs in compensation. 



The problems attending foreign shipments of eggs and fish, par- 

 ticularly to distant points, are many, but it is believed, particularly 

 in the case of the American republics, that the special effort required 

 is justified as a step toward better international understanding. 



