218 American Fisheries Society 



less man has no business with the raising of fish in any 

 manner. 



Fish culture today is recognized by some as a big 

 business proposition, although but few people truly realize 

 the importance of it. Millions of pounds of food products 

 are taken annually from our waters in a commercial way. 

 This goes on from year to year. In addition, there is 

 the recreation and sport for the angler as well as food he 

 thus obtains from our waters each season. The many 

 varieties and great numbers of game fish are worth un- 

 told millions to our country each year. 



The only way that this vast wealth can be kept with 

 us, so that future generations shall be able to realize 

 the importance and reap the benefits of the industry is 

 by the propagation and planting in our waters each year 

 of more millions of fish. This together with regulations 

 governing the size, daily catch and the season when they 

 may be taken, will make it possible to maintain the fish 

 supply for all time to come. 



If it had not been for the propagation of whitefish on 

 the Great Lakes, there would be practically none in those 

 waters today. More whitefish have been taken from the 

 waters of Wisconsin, Lake Michigan and Green Bay dur- 

 ing the past two seasons than were taken in the previous 

 decade. The fishermen say there are more lake trout in 

 the waters of Lake Michigan now than there were forty 

 years ago. This speaks well for the many plantings of 

 fry which have been made. 



It is remarkable to consider the large numbers of fish 

 taken from year to year from our Great Lakes system, 

 and then remember that the numbers caught annually have 

 not diminished. When we recall the great waste result- 

 ing from the capture of immature and practically value- 

 less No. 2 whitefish and trout, we are prompted to call 

 attention to what they would have been worth to the fish- 



