80 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



engaged in large-scale dam constrnction), to answer the numerous in- 

 quiries which are addressed to them, to plan and carry out applied 

 fisheries management, and to carry out various purely administrative 

 duties. 



Rather than attempting to enlarge appreciably the personnel of 

 the permanent biological staff to meet this work load, it has been deemed 

 best to furnish other help as needed. This help has come from two sources : 

 (1) permanent employees from the hatchery staff, who carry out mainly 

 such fact-finding work as counting spawning runs of salmon and steel- 

 head and such applied management work as fish rescue, stream and lake 

 improvement, and screening of diversions, and (2) temporary employees 

 consisting of Fish and Game Seasonal Aids and Student Biologists. Stu- 

 dent Biologists are used to assist the permanent staff members in con- 

 ducting stream and lake surveys and other routine field and laboratory 

 investigations and in the case of well-qualified men occasionally also to 

 carry out certain fact-finding projects more or less independently. Sea- 

 sonal aids are used as needed in various phases of both the investigative 

 and applied phases of fisheries management. 



During the biennium the biological staff was increased from 15 full- 

 time employees to 23. The publications and administrative reports listed 

 at the end of this report indicate by their titles and by accompanying 

 abstracts some of the work of the staff ; further description follows. 



STREAM AND LAKE SURVEYS 



Biological surveys of our streams and lakes may be termed an inven- 

 tory of the waters of California carried out to secure the information 

 necessary for their proper management. Such surveys are a continuing 

 function of the biological staff and form the backbone of the long-range 

 program. In general, they are carried out as other duties permit, but 

 during the biennium intensive surveys were made in some areas, notably 

 the following : 



Siskiyou County. The survey of the high mountain lakes of the Marble Moun- 

 tain Wilderness Area, started in 1947, was completed during the summer of 

 1949. In all, 79 lakes that have possibilities of providing trout fishing vpere 

 surveyed. 



Trinity County. The survey of the lakes of the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area 

 was begun during the summer of 19.50. 



Lassen County. During part of the summer a survey was made of the many 

 .small lakes in the Caribou Primitive Area and recommendations for manage- 

 ment submitted for 36 of them. 



District 3. Surveys were made of 92 lakes and 42 streams during the biennium. 

 District 6. In addition to checks on previously surveyed waters, new surveys 

 were made of 127 lakes and 20 streams. 



District 7. During the biennium 1.34 lakes and 20 streams in Mono and Inyo 

 Counties were surveyed. 



District 8. Detailed surveys were made of approximately 75 waters. 



