REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 23 



greater number of them were shipped away in the two fish distribution 

 cars to other sections of the state. 



While the department is operatin<? a total of twenty-two hatcheries 

 and egg collecting stations in various sections of the state, the greater 

 portion of the streams are stocked with tT-out fry from the ^Fount Shasta 

 iratchery. It is at this station tliat llic ciilirc supply of brood stock is 

 held in artificial ponds, which furnishes all of the Eastern brook, Loch 

 Leven and Brown trout fry. A small stock of rainbow breeders is also 

 carried at this liatchery. Under this system there is assured a never 

 failing supply of trout fry, no inatter to what extent adverse climatic 

 conditions may afit'ect tlic collecting of eggs from the wild fish in the 

 streams ;in(] lakes on which our egg collecting stations are located. 

 Especially during the past two seasons when our take of eggs from the 

 wild trout fell far below normal, on account of the extreme drought it 

 lias Ix'cu a source of gratification to this department to know that the 

 breeding stock in the jMount Shasta Hatchery ponds could be relied 

 upon to furnish at least a fair number of fry, all of desirable species, 

 for keeping our streams stocked. 



We believe that the general public does not sufficiently appreciate 

 our accomplishments in this line of work. Even the applicants, with 

 whom we are more closely in touch, are so accustomed to having their 

 requests for thousands and tens of thousands of trout fry met annually, 

 and substantially as requested, that they little realize all the Avork and 

 jdanning it takes to produce the fish. 



]\[ount Shasta Hatchery was established in 1888. The equipment 

 consisted of a single building 40 feet by 60 feet with a capacity of 44 

 hatching troughs. The output of fish during the first few years was 

 l)ut a few hundred thousand fry annually. Today the station covers 

 seventeen acres of land, practically every foot of which is utilized. 

 There are five large hatchery buildings located on the site with a 

 combined capacity of 450 hatching troughs, capable of handling at least 

 10,000,000 trout fry annually. Other buildings consist of a superin- 

 tendent's residence, cottages for the foreman and assistants, barn, sheds, 

 garage, spawning house and kitchen for the preparation of the fish food. 

 There are 50 large rearing ponds, where the breeding fish are retained, 

 nurseries for the young fish, etc. In addition to this equipment the 

 Commission has leased outside the grounds, but within a radius of 

 a quarter of a mile of the plant, three large ponds which are used for 

 rearing salmon fry. The capacity of these ponds is 3,000,000 fry. 

 A one and a half-ton truck is used for hauling materials and supplies 

 from the town of Sisson, which is one mile distant, and for hauling fish 

 and eggs to and from the trains. 



