148 American Fisheries Society 



in taking the fish and the warehouses where they are 

 handled runs into millions of dollars and gives employ- 

 ment to hundreds of men. 



The most remarkable thing, however, in this matter 

 and one in which the Pennsylvania Department of Fish- 

 eries takes pride is the fact that all this immense busi- 

 ness is due to the artificial propagation of fish by this 

 Department, by the United States Bureau of Fisheries 

 and other State Commissions, and the whole restocking 

 is done by saving the eggs which would be a waste prod- 

 uct if it were not for the work of the hatchery men. 

 There is not the slightest question in the mind of any 

 fisherman as to the value of the work done by the Penn- 

 sylvania Department of Fisheries in this matter, because 

 it was not many years ago, before the artificial propaga- 

 tion was taken up, that the catch of fish had so fallen 

 off that the pursuit of fishing was no longer profitable. 



The figures given above do not convey entirely the 

 immensity of the business because they show the whole- 

 sale prices and the persons who use this large supply 

 pay from 50 to 100 per cent, advance on these figures 

 on account of freight and handling by the fish dealers. 

 Taken altogether the fish industry at Erie is a most valu- 

 able object lesson as to the value of artificial propagation 

 of fish in furnishing a very important food supply to the 

 people. If Lake Erie, with the tremendous drain made 

 upon it by the fishermen, can be kept stocked with fish, 

 it shows that the other lakes and streams in Pennsyl- 

 vania can also be restocked to their former productive- 

 ness if the hatcheries are worked to their full capacity 

 and the fishermen observe the laws against wasteful 

 and destructive methods of fishing. 



Another duty which devolves upon the Department is 

 the enforcement of the laws governing the protection of 

 fish in our streams. The enforcement of the law comes 

 under the small force of wardens which the Department is 

 able to employ. The law allows the appointment of 30 citi- 

 zens to act as fish wardens but unfortunately the Legis- 

 lature appropriated only sufficient money to employ reg- 



