PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1936 371 



A new dwelling has been made ready for occupancy at the Creede 

 station. 



An average production of trout and trout eggs was obtained at the 

 Springville, Utah, station, and in addition thereto a few bass and 

 bream were propagated. The number of fish handled at the Bear 

 Lake, Utah, substation was reduced by about 50 percent, in the belief 

 that a reduction of crowding would relieve the mortality. This was 

 found to be the case and a vqry creditable output achieved in spite of 

 the smaller number of eggs handled. 



The important work in the Montana territory was centered at the 

 Bozeman station, where a duplex dwelling was completed. Several 

 rearing ponds were constructed and improvements made to the 

 station's water supply. Shipments of trout eggs amounted to almost 

 10,000,000, and 2,800,000 fingerlings were distributed. 



In the Madison Valley adverse weather conditions caused an early 

 cessation of Loch Leven egg collections and the take of 14,000,000 was 

 10,000,000 less than during the previous year. However, collections 

 of spring rainbow eggs were increased. One-half mile of telephone 

 line was constructed for the purpose of afi'ording this substation out- 

 side connections. 



At the Miles City, Mont., substation devoted to the propagation 

 of warm water fish, 350,000 fingerlings of various species were pro- 

 duced. The production of fingerling bass was approximately 50,000 

 over that of last year. 



A liberal grant of W. P. A. labor at the Hagerman, Idaho, station 

 permitted extensive repairs and improvements, including the con- 

 struction of ponds and general improvements to the buildings. A 

 very large percentage of the fingerling trout used at this station are 

 from 3 to 6 inches in length when liberated. Rainbow trout eggs are 

 now being obtained from brood stock produced at the station. 



The Salmon, Idaho, station was operated jointly with the State of 

 Idaho and served as a base for rainbow egg collection operations at 

 Williams Lake. Over 3,000,000 were secured from this source and the 

 hatching and rearing was handled at the above-mentioned hatchery. 

 Four rearing ponds were built on state property adjoining this 

 establishment. 



The Dexter, N. Mex., station is in an entirely different category 

 than other stations in the Rocky Mountain territory due to the fact 

 that it propagates warm-water fish exclusively. Heavy losses of 

 brood stock from the depredations of fish-eating birds affected the 

 production somewhat. How^ever, there was a good hatch of bass 

 which made it possible to distribute 200,000 fingerlings in June and 

 still reserve an adequate number for later distribution. 



NEW ENGLAND STATIONS 



With the increasing importance of New England as a vacation 

 center the pressure upon the game fish hatcheries in that section is 

 increasing. In Maine the Craig Brook station handled a slightly 

 smaller number of brook trout due to a reduction in the brood stock. 

 The State of Maine also made a reduced allotment of landlocked 

 salmon eggs, furnishing only 100,000. Work with the Atlantic salmon 

 is discussed elsewhere. Considerable trouble was experienced during 

 the year with the water supply dam providing the main supply for 

 the hatchery and a break late in May necessitated complete rebuild- 

 ing. Arrangements were formulated with the National Park Service 



