PROBLEMS OF FISH AND FISHING 



297 



If for any district in the United States or Canada the above 

 questions can be answered in the affirmative, there remains 

 still one thing for the class in civic biology to do. Write 

 up the story to tell how the community did it. It will prove 

 the most interesting and instructive "fish story" ever written. 



Survey of district. The first step toward a solution of the 

 above problems is a sur- 

 vey of local waters. An 

 interested group, or com- 

 mittee, of the class may 

 .subdivide the district 

 among its members, eacli 

 of Avhom will go over his 

 part and make a map, to 

 scale, of lakes, streams, and 

 ponds, along with available 

 pond sites, springs, and 

 flowing wells. Indicate 

 stream flow by arrows and 

 depths by contour lines, 

 and adopt some uniform 

 method of showing areas 

 of vegetation and kinds of 

 bottom rocky, gravelly, 

 sandy, or muddy. While 

 working over the ground 

 in this way, observe and 

 record condition of water. Is it clear or muddy? Do sources 

 of pollution exist ? How might these be remedied ? (Con- 

 sult state laws in this connection.) Record all fishes seen, 

 and gather records, from neighbors and local fishermen and 

 markets, of the numbers and values of the different fishes 

 taken during the past season. This should result in a com- 

 plete list of the fishes of market value, with their relative 



FIG. 138. Trial fishing on the Albatross 



Experimental catch of cod and halibut taken 

 in twenty minutes by the Albatross while ex- 

 ploring a new bank off the coast of Alaska. 

 United States Bureau of Fisheries 



