FORTIETH BIENNIAL REPORT 53 



The fact-finding program includes the following major projects to 

 which could be added many minor routine problems that come up from 

 day to day. 



a. The physical inventory to determine the size, tj^pe, location and 

 general suitability for fishes of the thousands of separate rivers, 

 creeks, ditches, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds of the State is known 

 as stream and lake survey. This is a continuing job which will 

 never be completed because of the changes which are constantly 

 taking place, and it is therefore carried on as opportunity permits. 



b. The formulation of plans for management, including recommen- 

 dations for seasons, size limits, bag limits, stocking, and improve- 

 ment and protection of environment. 



c. Determination of the best management techniques and practices 

 through study of survival of planted and natural fish of various 

 sizes and species under varying conditions, effect of stocking or 

 removal of species. Work of this kind is now being carried on at 

 Castle Lake, Siskiyou County ; Clear Lake, Lake County ; Miller- 

 ton Lake, Fresno County ; Santa Paula Creek, Ventura County ; 

 and Rush Creek, Mono County. Creel counts are being carried on 

 at various times on the Truckee River, Upper Truckee, Shasta 

 Lake, Conn Reservoir, and Stevens Creek Reservoir. Annual 

 counts of salmon are made on tlie Eel River, Mad River, and 

 Klamath River. Recovery of marked fish is being used at Lake 

 Almanor to determine results of planting. A special project along 

 these lines is now under way to determine the degree of depletion, 

 if any, in the striped bass fishery and the further essential facts 

 as to life history of the species in California necessary for manage- 

 ment and protection from any adverse effects of the Central Val- 

 leys Project. 



d. The study and treatment of hatchery diseases and the develop- 

 ment of cheaper and better foods for hatchery use. Work along 

 these lines has paid large dividends during the last eight years. 

 Disease epidemics have been less severe, and our cost for fish food 

 has been kept near prewar levels, while soaring in other states. 

 Biologists have also assisted in recent experiments with planting 

 trout from airplanes. 



e. The biological staff also has to bear most of the increasing burden 

 of preparing material for educational literature and movies, and 

 speaking at sportsmen's meetings. Accompanying this report is a 

 list of titles and abstracts of administrative reports and publica- 

 tions prepared by the biological staff July 1, 1 946, to June 30, 1948. 



3. Fish planting is the largest activity of the bureau, both in terms 

 of expenditure and number of men employed. Over 20,000,000 trout and 

 3,500,000 salmon, weighing over 440,000 pounds, are now being produced 

 in hatcheries for planting. Varying numbers of trout and salmon are 

 obtained through rescue work and this is also the source of most of the 

 warm-water species used for stocking. The division now has 22 perma- 

 nently established trout hatcheries (at two of these salmon are also 



