62' PISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



. sary to be determined by an estimate snbmitted to the State Board of 

 Control. It is only right and just to the people that those who are 

 benefited by the appropriation of water and by the eonstrnction of 

 dams that are impassable to tish and over which efficient fishways can 

 not be built owing to the great height of the dams, furnish the money 

 to operate the hatcheries that must be established to save the run of 

 fish. These hatcheries should only be brHt where conditions are 

 favorable for the propagation of fish. 



The law relating to the Division of Water Rights should be amended 

 so that an appropriation of all the water in a river or stream would 

 be impossible. A sufficient flow of water should be allowed to flow in 

 the bed of our rivers and streams during the period of minimum flow 

 to maintain fish life below all dams. 



The fishing season should be shorter in certain districts. 



The spearing of trout should not be permitted in any district. 



The distribution of trout fry should be improved by the employment 

 of experienced fish planters. Under our present system we have not 

 money enough in our funds to keep men skilled in this work employed 

 the year around. Consequently the crews, excepting the car superin- 

 tendents are generally inexperienced men that are employed to assist 

 in this work each season when the distribution begins. Then in the 

 fall, when the season's work is over they are laid off and generally 

 find other employment before the next season. The fish planting 

 operations could be greatly improved if experienced men were kept for 

 this purpose who would make a special study of this work. This can 

 only be done Avhen adequate funds are provided to employ these men 

 at the hatcheries and on the distributing cars, the year around. Some 

 of the sportmen's clubs are employing men who are making a study of 

 fish planting and the results are gratifying. If all the instructions 

 given in our instruction sheets were carried out by the applicants, this 

 would not be necessary, but a number of the applicants disregard the 

 instructions given to them and the fry ai'c not always planted to the 

 best advantage. 



The present law preventing the planting of fish in any of the waters 

 of the state should be amended so as to make the act an indictable mis- 

 demeanor triable in the superior court and the penalty made very 

 severe. The introduction of undesirable or predatory species of fish 

 into waters where game and food fish are liable to be destroj'cd, should 

 be safeguarded against as imieh as possible. 



A systematic survey of the lakes and streams of the high Sierras 

 should be made by a competent entomologist under the supervision of 

 the Department of Fisheultui'e to determine the proper aquatic insects 

 ajid plants to be introduced to furnish a more aboundant supply of 

 food for the trout. We have successfully introduced the large salmon 

 fly (Corydalis) in the Tahoe region and have made attempts to intro- 

 duce scuds or gammarus in some of the other lakes, but to make this 

 work a success, a careful stiuly of the insects and aquatic plants in 

 each region should l)e made to find out where new species can be intro- 

 duced to improve the natural food of the trout. 

 Respectfully submittcHJ. 



W. H. SlIEBLEY, 



In charge Department of Fishculture. 



