PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1924 415 



From the eggs derived from this field, comprising the station's en- 

 tire stock of this species, 1,475,000 were shipped in the eyed stage to 

 various stations of the bureau and 520,000 fry were produced, the pro- 

 ceeds being equivalent to an 80 per cent hatch. The alevins werestrong 

 and continued to thrive until late in February, when the hatchery 

 water appeared to be filled with linely divided vegetable matter, the 

 water at the intake at this period being at a low level. In a short 

 time the gills of many of the young fish became so congested that 

 a heavy loss ensued. On being removed to another environment a 

 considerable percentage of the affected fish recovered. 



Quite extensive improvements were made during the year with tlie 

 view of bettering the condition of the brood rainbow trout. .Long 

 parallel dikes were constructed down the center of two of the large 

 earth ponds to confine all avaihible water in an 18-foot channel, this 

 arrangement providing a good current of water of a moderate tem- 

 perature at all times. On the completion of the repairs the entire 

 stock of 2,300 adult rainbow trout was transferred to the ponds, and 

 a great improvement in their physical condition was soon noted. 

 These fish spawned between December 15 and March 10, yielding 

 1 ,121,700 eggs, of which 878,180, or 78 per cent, were hatched. The 

 loss of fry was light up to the time the stock was transferred to the 

 concrete pond system, such action being necessitated through lack 

 of space elsewhere. It was observed that the fry placed in the ponds 

 having the first use of the water did very well, but the losses in the 

 ponds fourth and fifth in line was extremely heavy. There was 

 no lack of water, but a strong current was found to sweep the 

 fish against the screens, where they soon succumbed. The experience 

 indicates that the use of less water in the first place would have given 

 better results. In this connection it is believed that a series of tanks 

 installed along the south side of the concrete pond system, where 

 water is abundant, would ])e a great aid to the station in carrying its 

 needed stock of fingerling fish. The not result of the operations was 

 the distribution of upward of 211,000 fingerlings Nos. 2 and 2^ and 

 the retention of 60,000 fine fingerlings for the work of the succeeding 

 year. 



During April and May egg collections of the rainbow trout were 

 undertaken in the Fish Lake field in cooperation with the Stiite, and 

 at the same time extensive plants of fish were made therein both 

 from the Springville station and the State hatchery, the truck em- 

 ployed to bring out eggs for shipment returning each time with a 

 load of fish for the lake. The spawning season extended from April 

 22 to May 24, the bureau receiving 905,000 as its share of the 

 5,407,000 secured. Quite extensive losses occurred in the egg and fry 

 stages, and at the close of the year the proceeds of this work were 

 507,000 fry in the early feeding stage. 



In the course of the year efforts were directed toward the estab- 

 lishment of additional field stations for the collection of rainbow- 

 trout eggs in the Fish La e and Panguitch Lake fields. In this in- 

 vestigation the cooperation of the United States Forest Service was 

 enlisted and favorable sites were found, the one at Fish Lake being 

 within the forest reserve, while the one at Panguitch Lake is on pri- 

 vate property. It is probable that egg collections in both these fields 

 will be undertaken in the near future in conjunction with the State 

 of Utah. 



