THE DISTRIBUTION OF FISH AND FISH EGGS DURING THE 

 FISCAL YEAR 1912/ 



CHARACTER OF THE WORK. 



More than 95 per cent of the output of the fish-cultural stations 

 consists of important commercial species, notably the salmons, shad, 

 whitefish, pike perch, yellow perch, white perch, lake trout, cod, 

 pollock, flatfish, and lobsters. These are hatched in lots of many 

 millions annually and planted by the Bureau, the fresh-water species 

 principally in the large coastal streams and in the Great Lakes, the 

 marme species upon the inshore fishing grounds of the Atlantic. 



The cultivation of the fishes of the interior waters, generally classed 

 as game fishes, although a comparatively small factor m the total 

 output, is a very important feature of the Bureau's work, supplymg as 

 it does various kinds of young fish for public streams, lakes and ponds, 

 fi.shtng preserves, private ponds, private streams, etc., m all parts 

 of the United States. Among the fishes most extensively produced for 

 these purposes are several species of trout, the grayling, the basses, 

 crappie, bream, and catfish; various others also are handled. The 

 trouts are artificially hatched from eggs taken from both wild and 

 domesticated stock; the basses, catfish, and others are derived from 

 mature fish held in ponds for breedmg purposes, or (except the small- 

 mouth black bass) they are rescued from the overflows of the Missis- 

 sippi and Illmois Rivers. Collections from the latter sources include 

 also pike and pickerel, which are not distributed to applicants but are 

 returned immediately to the mam streams. 



METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION. 



The first consideration m the Bureau's distribution of fishes is to 

 make ample return to the waters from which eggs or fish have been 

 collected. The remainder of the product is consigned to suitable 

 public or private waters upon application indorsed by a United 

 States Senator or Representative, the Bureau furnishing to persons 

 mterested an application blank for this purpose. The blank calls 



a The detailed report of the distribution of f3sh and ee:gs for the fiscal year 1911 was not printed. In- 

 cluded in the report for 1912, however, will be found a summary of the distribution and tables of fish and 

 eggs furnished to State fish commissions and to applicants in foreign countries during that year. 



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