REPORT OF BOARD OP FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 41 



THE DISTRIBUTION SEASON. 



The season of distribution has been a long one. The first shipments 

 ■were of salmon fry and were made in March (1912). Since then the 

 car and its crew under the management of F. McCrea, have been kept 

 constantly on the move, with the exception of ten days in April, w^hen 

 the car was in the shops. 



In August the water in the coast streams and southern California 

 became so extremely low that trout distribution had to be discontinued 

 for a time. The car crew then proceeded to collect and distribute black 

 bass. This work was not altogether easy, but they managed to gather 

 1.750 of these fish. They were planted mostly in interior waters south 

 of San Francisco, but there was one shipment each to Placer, Yolo, and 

 Calaveras counties. 



I have submitted to the Commission for publication, a complete tabu- 

 lated list of all the fish distributed from Sisson Hatchery and the other 

 hatcheries, and it will appear elsewhere in the biennial report. This I 

 deem most important, because the people are not only interested in 

 knowing how many fish are propagated and distributed, but they also 

 want to know where they are planted. The list will satisfy all of these 

 interested persons and will prove that the Commission is endeavoring to 

 scatter its benefits ecpially amongst all sections of the State. 



In a very general way this report covers the work at Sisson Hatchery 

 and its auxiliary stations. 



SCREENS AND LADDERS. 



Acting under the instructions of your honorable Board, I began early 

 in Ma}', work on the fish "ladder" and screen investigation and the 

 work of having neces-ary structures and appliances installed. 



On my recommendation you appointed A. E. Doney as my assistant in 

 the "ladder" and screen investigation. Mr. Doney has had several 

 years of experience in the Klamath River work besides his duties as 

 deputy in the northern part of the State. He has made a special study 

 of the ' ' ladder ' ' work and has proven to be a valuable assistant. 



We have visited most of the corporations, mill owners, irrigation and 

 land companies and other water users, from Siskiyou to San Diego, in 

 every county but two, and will have visited these two before this report 

 is issued. On most occasions I have found them courteous and willing 

 to install whatever screens or ladders were necessary. 



There has been a screen law in California nearly twenty years and this 

 is the first Commission that has insisted on its enforcement. The work in 

 this line therefore has necessarily been slow. What has been neglected 

 and lying dormant for so long can not be corrected in a month or even 

 in a year. 



It has been claimed by many who are familiar with the screen ques- 

 tion, that the use of screens with meshes small enough to exclude trout 

 fry would, in many cases, practically shut off all the water from the 



