DISTRIBUTION OP FISH AND FISH EGGS, 191*7. 5 



Senator or Representative, an assignment of fish is made, suitable for 

 the waters described and to the Bureau's facilities to supply, and the 

 deUvery is arranged for as soon as possible thereafter. AppUcants 

 should confine their choice of fishes to species that are indigenous to 

 the region of the waters to be stocked. Nonindigenous species of 

 fishes are assigned only upon the recommendation of the State fisheries 

 authorities, and not then unless such recommendation conforms to 

 the Bureau's judgment. 



The Bureau refuses requests for such predaceous fishes as the black 

 bass, sunfish, and kindred species for introduction into waters in 

 CaUfornia, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, or western 

 Montana, as it is beheved their presence in such waters might prove 

 harmfid to the trout and salmon fisheries of that region. 



Each species of fish spawns at a specific time during the year — the 

 brook trout and the domesticated rainbow trout of eastern waters in 

 the fall or early winter ; the blackspotted trout, steelhead trout, and 

 the wild rainbow trout of western waters during the spring ; while all 

 of the pond fishes reproduce in the spring or early summer. 



The product of each season is distributed as the fish attain proper 

 size for shipment, and after the exhaustion of the stock of one season 

 no more are available until the same season the following year. 



The distribution of trout in the Eastern States begins in March and 

 is completed by the last of June, while trout sliipments to appUcants 

 in the Middle States extend from about May 1 until well along in 

 July. In the Rocky Mountain States the trout distributions occur 

 somewhat later, the work usually starting by September 1 and 

 continuing into the early winter. 



The black basses produced at the Bureau's pond-cultural stations 

 are distributed between May and August, while the miscellaneous 

 fishes rescued from overflowed lands and the output of rock bass, 

 crappie, sunfish, and catfish from these stations are shipped simul- 

 taneously, the distribution usually extending from August to Decem- 

 ber. 



It is the policy of the Bureau to fiU appHcations in the order of their 

 receipt so far as practicable, but it is impossible to state definitely, 

 in advance, when the fish requested by an appHcant can be furnished, 

 the approximate time of dehvery depending upon transportation 

 faciUties, which are not always available on a given -date, and, in the 

 case of the pond or river fishes, upon the degree of success attained 

 in the collections. 



The number of fish assigned on an appUcation must necessarily be 

 governed by the available supply of the species requested and the 

 time of year scheduled for the dehvery, it being obvious that very 

 young fishes which have not been fed can be furnished in much larger 

 numbers than those which have been held at considerable expense at 

 99805°— 19 8 



