32 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



legislature was a move for conservation, but without an increased force 

 of deputies to enforce the law, the limit is often exceeded by persons, 

 who otherwise consider themselves law abiding citizens. 



The number of deputies should be greatly augmented to enforce the 

 fish and game laws and there is only one way to do it and that is to 

 increase the revenues of the Commission so that an adequate force of 

 deputies can be in the field all the time. 



During 1920, the output of our hatcheries was 17,000,000 trout fry. 

 In 1921, the output was 23,000,000 and the present season, 1922, for 

 which a detailed report will not be in readiness until two years hence, 

 will exceed 25,000,000 trout fry. The statistical report of the distribu- 

 tion of trout fry for the seasons of 1920-1921 will be found in the 

 appendix. 



In an effort to keep the waters of the state from being depleted of 

 trout thirty hatcheries and egg collecting stations are operated at full 

 capacity. In many streams examined in the last few years, there are 

 very few, if any, iDreeding fish left. The constant fishing by anglers 

 during the open season of the easily accessible streams, has so reduced 

 the number of adult fish that natural propagation is limited and insuf- 

 ficient and the streams must be kept stocked from the hatcheries, if the 

 public is to continue to enjoy the privileges of fishing. 



TROUT. 



The total distribution of trout fry from the different hatcheries for 

 the biennial period ending July 1, 1922, was 40,974,000, the largest 

 number planted in the same period of time since the creation of the 

 Commission. Improved methods of hatching, rearing and distributing 

 the fry are constantly being made, but still it is impossibble to meet 

 the demand made on our trout waters by the anglers. There is a 

 constant demand for more hatcheries and a larger output of fry, and 

 several more hatcheries are needed in the state, but funds must be pro- 

 vided before any further increase of fish from out hatcheries can be 

 had or new hatcheries constructed. Hundreds of persons applying 

 for fish have been instructed to make a wide distribution of the fry. 

 The best results are obtained where the fry are well scattered and 

 planted on the riffles and in the shallow water of the lakes some dis- 

 tance from shore. A close check of the work has shown good results. 

 The cooperation of the sportmen's clubs, county boards of supervisors, 

 chambers of commerce and others, has been of great assistance in get- 

 ting the fry planted properly and often in almost inaccessible places. 

 The growing interest in the propagation and planting of trout fry is the 

 result of the success in past years. 



We must urge again, as in previous reports, that a shorter open sea- 

 son for trout fishing should be instituted for reasons as stated in other 

 reports, viz., to allow the fish a chance to breed in the spring and fall, 

 as well as to give them a chance to grow when the temperature is 

 favorable. 



The thousands of fish taken by anglers from Eel River, Klamath 

 and Feather rivers and other places where our egg-collecting stations 

 are located is greatly diminishing the number of breeders each season 

 and the work of collecting eggs from wild trout becomes more difflcult 

 each season. The State Fish and Game Commission should, at an early 



