58 REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



fiuaucos of the coininission to carry out, and furthermore a fish arti- 

 ficially fed too long is not a good rustler when liberated and is apt to 

 suffer considerably before getting accustomed to natural conditions. 

 Some of the best results have been obtained where fry from two to three 

 months old have been planted. Absolute proof of this is at hand where 

 new species have been introduced in the streams. Fry, if in perfect 

 condition, free of bacterial disease, carefully reared by a skilled fish- 

 culturist and planted in the small tributary streams, are sure to give 

 good results. AYe have been a close observer of these conditions for 

 over thirty years in California and feel that we are pursuing the right 

 policy in planting the majority of the fry from our hatcheries when they 

 are from two to four months old. 



A number of writers who are not fishculturists have advocated the 

 building of ponds and nurseries along the banks of the different lakes 

 and .streams in the state to rear the fry until they are fingerlings before 

 they are released into the streams. This might do in a few localities, 

 but when we figure on rearing IB.OOO.UOO or 18.000,000 of fry on 

 thoiLsands of miles of streams the proposition is impracticable, even if 

 the state had iii(inc\- enough to luiild the ponds and to pay men to care 

 for the fisli. To turn the fry over to inexperienced persons, even where 

 they go to the expense of building the ponds, is a poor policy and one 

 in which the public as a rule will not benefit. The experience of fish- 

 culturists who are working for the public good must be considered in 

 preference to enthu.siasts and theori.sts. Fi.shculture is a well demon- 

 strated practical proposition and the experience of men skilled in this 

 work must be considered if the public is to get the benefit of the money 



invested. 



Fishways and Screens. 



The work of installing screens in the ditches and canals of this state 

 and of constructing fishways over dams and obstructions has progressed 

 entirely satisfactorily during the last two years. A. E. Culver as 

 screen surveyor and A. E. Doney, fishway surveyor, have been untiring 

 in their efforts to enforce the law and conserve the fish. 



One hundred seventy-eight surveys of ladders over dams have been 

 made. As a result of these surveys eighty-six obstructions have been 

 removed or fishways installed in order that fish might have a free 

 passageway. 



Nearly six hundred screens have been ordered installed and 377 have 

 been reported as completed. The wide extent of operations is indicated 

 by the fact that screen surveys have been made in thirty-five different 

 counties during the last two years. 



Some new and difficult problems have pr&sented themselves in both 

 the screen and fishway work, but good progress ha.s been made over the 

 entire state, with tlic cxceptirm of the San Joaquin Valley, where some 



