REPORT OP THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 17 



new liatcheries and egg collecting stations and enlarging and modern- 

 izing onr older plants, prop^'vly fitting them with egg coUecting equip- 

 ment and providing suitable quarters and accommodations for the 

 men engaged in carrying on the work. We now feel that we are 

 equipped to handle the situation in the future to far better advantage 

 than we have been able to during tlie past two years. 



There are now in operation sixteen hatcheries, the majority of which 

 are also equipped to carry on egg collecting operations, and in addition 

 thereto, six egg collecting stations. With this equipment we are con- 

 fident that we will be able to keep pace with the demands for trout fry. 

 A vast improvement has been made in our system of fish distril)ution 

 from the various hatclieries and with the fish distributing ears. The 

 more important of our hatcheries are now provided witli small auto 

 truiks, which in addition to being of great assistance in carrying on 

 all regular operations, are used very extensively in connection with 

 distributing the fry in the localities in which the stations are located. 

 The fish are taken out during the proper season, a few cans at a time, 

 and are carefully planted by our own men, who are skilled in this 

 lini^ of work. Local sportsmen and prominent citizens of the various 



j comnuinities are cooperating in stocking the streams, to a greater 



; extent than in previous years, for the people generally are coming to 

 realize the importance of maintaining the fish in their streams as an 



' attraction to lure the people into the healthful recreations of the wilds. 

 The crews on our fish distribution cars have been increased to permit 



;• our messengers to accompany as many as possible of the larger consign- 

 ments of fish from the point of delivery to the streams, where the 

 transportation and planting of the fish is at all difficult, and when the 

 applicants are 'inexperienced in fish planting. Many of them are 

 experienced in the work and no assistance from this department in the 

 actual planting work is necessary. ]\rany of the deputy fish and game 

 wardens are also cooperating with the department and the applicants, 

 as are also a great many of the United States Forest Service Rangers 

 who have had experience in planting fish. The result, of this policy, 

 and new system of trout distribution, is that a far greater proportion 

 of the fish survive. Then too, with the I)etter methods of planting and 

 the ever increasing number of experienced men engaged in the Avork, 

 the fish are better "scattered" and receive a much wider distribution 

 than formerly. 



TROUT. 

 For tlie biennial period, a total of ;i4,000,000 trout fry were reared 

 and distributed in the waters of California. This is the greatest number 

 of trout fry ever distributed by the Commission in a like period. 



Although mucli lias l)eeu accomplished in the distribution of trout 

 fiy, it is impossible to keep the streams in the more easily accessible 



