62 Twciity'Si.vth Aniinal Meeting 



assemble in sufficient numbers at the proper time to permit the 

 collection of enough spawn to recompense the annual capture 

 of adults, or, in short, whenever and wherever it is possible and 

 practical to make complete restitution, it is obvious that no re- 

 strictions are needed. Desiral)le si)ecies that shirk i^arental du- 

 ties after throwing their ova should not be allowed to throw it; 

 they should be headed off and forced to "cough up" in time to 

 give the germs the treatment and protection that they deserve, 

 instead of being allowed to go very largely to waste. 



If all the salmon and all the shad that ascend our great rivers 

 from the sea were allowed to reach their spawning grounds 

 before being caught, the immense numbers of young that, by 

 the grace of artificial propagation, it would then be practical to 

 return, would soon restore the depleted waters to their virgin 

 fruitfulness. h^ishing would be concentrated to fewer points, but 

 the aggregate annual production might thus be greatly increased, 

 and maintained indefinitely. If these propositions are not true, 

 then artificial propagation is a snare and a delusion and should 

 be discontinued. 



It must not be inferred tliat any relaxation of the protection 

 now afforded our 'trout streams is to be thought of. Circum- 

 stances alter cases. We are obliged, in ^lichigan waters at least, 

 to close the spawning season for brook trout and leave reproduc- 

 tion to nature's wasteful methods, simply because the jiarent fish 

 are distributed throughout innumerable spring tributaries, 

 making it impossible to collect the ova in paying numbers at 

 any one point. It is a matter of the keenest regret, however, 

 that all of the wild trout of spawning age in Michigan waters 

 cannot be assembled each spawning season, and their ova sub- 

 mitted to the multiplying process of artificial propagation. There 

 would then be no unfilled applications, no unstocked streams, 

 for the immense ]M-0(luction of fry each season would keep every 

 stream stocked to its limit for all time to come. 



But this, of course, is impossible, so the only alternative is 

 to confine a stock of parent fish in ponds, simulating natural 

 surroundings by providing an inflow of spring water over a 

 gravel bottomed raceway into which the gravid fish are enticed. 

 But we do not allow the fish to spawn naturally, knowing as we 

 do by actual trial, how meagre the results would be. Nor should 

 any fish of this class be allowed to spawn naturally, whenever it 

 is feasible to take advantage of the saving economy of artificial 

 methods. 



