PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



federal agency in constructing and maintaining irrigation 

 projects have a strong bearing on the welfare of important 

 fisheries. The arbitrary raising or lowering of the water 

 levels in impounded reservoir lakes may have a disastrous 

 effect on aquatic life. 



To some extent the bureau, and in particular this division 

 of it, has co-operated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 

 keeping Indian reservations stocked with fish, but in most 

 cases the division has merely furnished them a supply of fish 

 fry which were set out under the direction of the employees 

 of the Indian Bureau. In like manner it has co-operated 

 with the Bureau of the Biological Survey in the manage- 

 ment of the Upper Mississippi Refuge. 



The division operates its fish cultural activities upon the 

 policy that state and federal hatcheries in the same region 

 do not necessarily mean duplication and waste. The prob- 

 lem is the proper stocking of the nation's lakes and streams 

 as an aid to conservation. In certain localities the bureau 

 feels it may be necessary for both the state and the federal 

 government to operate hatcheries to meet that need. Dupli- 

 cation can be eliminated, the division thinks, by co-operation 

 largely in the nature of technical management and more 

 effective routine administration. In the majority of cases, 

 no doubt, the states are the principal beneficiaries of such 

 co-operation. 



The exchange of eggs and fry between federal and state 

 hatcheries by which the state agencies are able to secure 

 eggs not available in their area is an argument often ad- 

 vanced in favor of the maintenance of federal hatcheries. 

 However, it would be quite possible for this division to act 

 merely as a clearing house for information regarding state 

 hatchery operations and to leave to the states the problem 

 of arranging exchanges of fish eggs. 



