Ward. — Preservation of Fish Fauna 159 



The problem as it concerns fish life is really much more 

 difficult, because even for migratory birds it is sufficient 

 to set aside a small breeding area and to give them free 

 passage through the air from the points at which they 

 spend one portion of their life to the point at which the 

 breeding process is carried out. For fish it is necessary 

 that a considerable stretch of territory, or even an entire 

 stream, be set aside; and this adds to the expense and 

 difficulties of securing and controlling the area. Yet it 

 may confidently be maintained that such areas will be 

 reserved for the propagation of the native fish and for 

 the preservation of the fish fauna, just as they have been 

 set aside for the preservation of the mammalian fauna 

 and the bird fauna of the continent. 



It is not so difficult to provide for the setting aside 

 of short streams. This has been done for centuries in 

 Europe and within recent years in Canada also. In 

 United States territory it has been tried only to a very 

 limited extent; thus in Alaska there are at least two 

 prominent breeding streams of the salmon, which, by 

 appropriate measures of the Government at Washing- 

 ton, have been reserved entirely from salmon fishing and 

 preserved for breeding purposes. In some other places 

 fishing is forbidden or greatly limited in particular lakes 

 or in short streams or small tributaries. 



But this is not the main feature of the problem to 

 which I wish to call your especial attention. How do 

 the fish fare on those protected areas which have been 

 set aside for other purposes? What is the condition of 

 aquatic life in the parks that have been reserved in order 

 to preserve the native vegetation, to give breeding places 

 for wild birds, and to furnish a refuge for the large game 

 animals? The answer to this question is unfortunately 

 not as favorable as might have been hoped. It is hardly 

 necessary to call your attention to the fact that stream 

 pollution is increasing; that its relation to these parks and 

 areas is often distinctly unfavorable. Sources of stream 



