Belding. — Preservation of the Alewife 101 



STOCKING METHODS. 



All stocking methods are based upon the "Parent Stream 

 Theory," which presupposes that the young alewives return as 

 mature fish to the same waters where they were born. Depleted 

 streams can be restored and new fisheries created by stocking, 

 through the introduction of young alewives into the headwaters, 

 which may be accomplished in two ways: 



(1) Transplanting mature, ripe alewives to the spawning ponds. 



(2) Planting artificially hatched fry. 



Mature Alewives. — The yield of certain depleted streams has 

 been greatly increased by transplanting into their headwaters 

 spawning alewives from productive streams. It is sure, practical, 

 and at the present time the only certain step for restocking unob- 

 structed streams. It possesses the great objection of expense in 

 catching and transporting the adult fish. Possibly small alewives 

 could be seined in the late summer and similarly transported at a 

 less cost. 



Artificial Hatching. — The ideal method of propagation would 

 be to plant artificially hatched alewives. Sufficient preliminary 

 work has been carried out along this line to indicate that com- 

 mercial hatching is feasible. 



(1) Ripe Fish. — The principal obstacle is obtaining ripe fish for 

 stripping. It is impracticable to obtain the fish in their journey up 

 stream, since the ratio of males to females is large, and practically 

 all the eggs are "green" at this time. 



Seining the fish on the spawning grounds seems the logical 

 method, unless the alewives can be held in pockets on their journey 

 up stream until the eggs ripen. The ratio of male and female 

 necessitates handling large numbers of superfluous males, as well as 

 many unripe females. However, a sufficient quantity of eggs may 

 be secured for the work with labor and patience. 



(2) Hatching. — When seined the fish are stripped in the usual 

 method. After fertilization, owing to their adherent nature, the 

 eggs will mass together, but this may be obviated by constant 

 stirring and by changing the water every five minutes until they 

 harden. When first placed in open MacDonald hatching jars, the 

 eggs tend to adhere to each other, but later they separate, becoming 

 firm, hard and a light coffee color. The fry which have the appear- 



