A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 523 



and its relation to the development of a program of fishery manage- 

 ment is of utmost importance, but it is believed that no detailed 

 plans in addition to those mentioned above can be made until basic 

 information derived from the surveys now under way by the Bureau 

 is available. 



Close cooperation between the Federal Bureau of Fisheries and the 

 State fish and game commissions has been maintained for many years, 

 extending even to pooling of fish cultural resources, exchanging eggs 

 and fry, loaning technical personnel, and distributing and planting 

 fish. A statement of further details along this line appears unneces- 

 sary, but the Bureau feels that sentiment in practically all the States 

 is such that when occasion arises cooperative relations of mutual 

 benefit may develop. 



The attitude of the large sportsmen's organizations, individual 

 sportsmen, and commercial fishing interests leaves no room for the 

 conclusion that there is an excess distribution of hatchery fish or a 

 surplus of facilities for their production. In view of this situation 

 the operation of both Federal and State hatcheries within any given 

 area cannot fairly be considered a duplication of effort, since too 

 frequently their^ combined output is not adequate to meet the pur- 

 pose for which intended, namely, the maintenance of an abundant 

 stock of food and game fishes. In the practical execution of these 

 enterprises cooperative programs may be developed which will insure 

 more effective work by the agencies concerned and prevent overlap- 

 ping or duplication of effort in some particular area without affecting 

 the essential truth that a vast field is not being thoroughly and ade- 

 quately covered. This cooperation is largely in the nature of tech- 

 nical management and more effective routine administration. During 

 the past year the Bureau maintained effective and mutually benefi- 

 cial affiliations with some 22 States. In the majority of cases the 

 States were the principal beneficiaries, which is in line with the orig- 

 inal concept of the Bureau's activities to aid and promote Satte 

 conservation work. 



RESEARCH REQUIRED 



From the foregoing sections it should be apparent that there are 

 so many technical problems involved in establishing a comprehensive 

 program of fishery management in forest areas, concerning which 

 there is disagreement and controversy or lacking information, that 

 scientific research is essential to the fullest utilization of the natural 

 resources of these areas. The first requirements of a research pro- 

 gram therefore include the physical assessment of the forest areas 

 themselves from the point of view of water resources on the one hand, 

 the fish populations present in the various districts, and the demands 

 made upon these natural supplies by the fishermen. 



For the purpose of fishery management much more information is 

 required regarding the physical features of the individual forest areas 

 than is available from topographic maps provided by the Geological 

 Survey or the Forest Service. In addition to the actual location of 

 streams and lakes and their dimensions, the fishery officers must have 

 information regarding the flow of streams and their seasonal fluctua- 

 tions, the character of the stream bed, the extent of riffles and pools, 

 the physiography of the watershed, and the chemical composition 

 and thermal relations of the water. All of these factors influence 



