90 Americayi Fisheries Society 



culture in America. Our numerous fish hatcheries main- 

 tained under the direction of state commissions are de- 

 voted almost entirely to the stocking of public waters 

 with young fishes. Very little of the product is reared to 

 maturity and none of it is sent to market direct. If our 

 fish culturists could be commanded to bring their annual 

 yield of fry to maturity and deliver it to the market, 

 they would be at a loss how to proceed. We are really 

 not fish raisers, but producers of fry. At that stage our 

 efforts cease. The rest is left to nature, and negligently 

 cast into waters that we imperfectly protect and utterly 

 neglect to keep pure. While our achievements in public 

 fish hatching are notable, private fish culture has made 

 no headway. A few of our state fish commissioners are 

 making eflforts in pond culture for the benefit of farming 

 communities, notably in Kansas, and it will be interest- 

 ing to observe what progress can be made. Perhaps the 

 vast natural yield from our coast, lake and river fish- 

 eries is responsible for the lack of private effort. 



Our fish supply, in general, is large and well distrib- 

 uted, but we could consume a much greater supply, espe- 

 cially in view of the fact that in some sections the natural 

 supply is being depleted by over fishing and pollution of 

 waters. There are many sections of the country inade- 

 quately supplied with fish food which could be produced 

 locally by pond cultivation and such supplies would find 

 convenient home markets. 



It is possible for the private citizen to obtain pond 

 fishes for breeding purposes, but he needs assistance and 

 direction. Object lessons on approved methods of fish 

 culture could be obtained by visiting public hatcheries, 

 but this is not likely to be undertaken. It would be ad- 

 vantageous to the country if state fish commissions gen- 

 erally could supply the coarser fishes for cultivation in 

 private waters and furnish the public free information 

 as to the methods to be followed. 



We should not rest content with the mere fact that 

 such information exists in public documents. The edi- 

 tions of state documents are neither large nor well dis- 



