American Fisheries Society 287 



Poachers on an alewife stream used to obstruct the fishway 

 and help themselves to its contents and, when the suggestion 

 most likely to appeal to them was made, that they were 

 working against their own interests, their answer was that 

 enough alewives were still allowed to pass to fully stock 

 the lake above and, if all were allowed to go up, so many 

 young would be produced that all would starve. Whatever 

 may be thought of the argument in this instance, it is the 

 fish culturist's business to see to it that his fish are so planted 

 that they will not starve one another. Even while we 

 remain ignorant of the first food of young fish and of the 

 cause of the disappearance of the great number, which are 

 never heard from after planting, the mere consideration of 

 the theory of chances should lead to a wide scattering of 

 planted fish. The enormous fecundity of fishes is Nature's 

 admission of the perils which beset the path of their off- 

 spring. Fish culture carries them past some of these perils, 

 but in many cases leaves them to face others equally fatal. 

 When one fish culturist writes to another: "I have been 

 planting young fish for 30 years and have yet to see one 

 adult fish as a result," he is privately stating a fact which 

 should long since have been written large on the record. 

 To determine the fate of planted fish is not easy, and it may 

 seem necessary to wait till the fish themselves rejXDrt, but 

 there should be clues available earlier, and the suggestion 

 is that we watch for such and report every smallest one. 



The fate of the few pike-perch fry held and nursed till 

 all died does not tend to foster hope for those liberated, 

 but in the absence of more light on the question of their 

 needs and perils, the proper course would seem to be to 

 give them as many chances as possible. 



As to the time young fish should be held before planting, 

 it is suggested that the behavior of the fish may be taken 

 to offer a clue. Young salmonidae lie helpless for weeks and 

 only when the sac is absorbed do they become really alert. 

 Then they show a disposition to scatter and perhaps they 

 still have some weeks in which to place themselves before 



