18 American Fisheries Society 



Ordinarily it is left to the applicant to plant the fish. He is 

 usually furnished with printed instructions how to plant fish; 

 sometimes he reads these instructions, but very frequently he 

 does not do so. It is necessary therefore to have a campaign of 

 education as to the importance of properly tempering the water 

 when transferring the fish from the cans to the waters which are 

 to be their permanent homes, as well as other important features 

 for the attainment of successful results. It is almost imprac- 

 ticable for any commissioner to undertake to supervise the planting 

 of fish, except in waters where large quantities of commercial 

 fishes are being introduced. For the game fishes it is expected 

 that the local anglers will be sufficiently interested to receive and 

 plant the fish, but nothing but constant hammering will educate 

 these people to persevere in their enthusiasm at the time of receiv- 

 ing fish until they have actually got them into the waters in proper 

 condition. When it becomes known that an applicant has not 

 properly followed the instructions as to planting fish, any further 

 applications from him should be refused. 



I have been discussing a policy with reference to ordinary 

 streams, ponds or lakes. The policy with regard to waters of 

 large area may be varied somewhat from the permanent policy 

 which should be established with the smaller lakes. The species 

 to be selected for the larger lakes is dependent to some extent 

 upon whether reliance is to be placed on artificial propagation to 

 maintain the supply, or whether, after once introduced, a pro- 

 tective close season and natural reproduction are to be depended 

 upon. 



In any attempt to establish a permanent policy with reference 

 to the selection of species for stocking a water system, it is apparent 

 that the farm fish pond and the privately stocked and posted 

 stream must be under the supervision of the commission and that 

 the proper selection of species to be encouraged in these privately 

 controlled waters must be made with reference to its effect upon 

 the inhabitants of the public waters to which they are tributary. 



In this connection I ask your indulgence while I wander 

 from the subject to say that we should encourage the fish pond 

 on the farm by furnishing fish to stock such private waters at 

 cost, just as the states supply trees at cost for reforestation. 



