stream and lake improvement devices. Tliey are among 

 the branch's most important activities. 



PRODUCTION AND PLANTING 



The period covered in tiiis report saw the com- 

 pletion of California's fish hatchery expansion and 

 modernization program undertaken more than five 

 years ago and made possible by funds supplied by 

 the Wildlife Conservation Board. 



During the last fiscal year, California waters were 

 stocked with 18,000,000 fingerling salmon and trout, 

 and 7,500,000 catchable trout having a total \\eight of 

 1,333,000 pounds. This compares with a total weight 

 of 530,000 pounds planted just five years ago before 

 the new hatchery program was started. 



During 1955, the average size of catchable trout 

 stocked was increased from six to eight fish per pound 

 to four to six fish per pound under provisions of a 

 new commission policy. 



Fingerlings planted during the biennium represented 

 65 percent of the total trout and salmon plant by num- 

 bers. By weight catchables made up 94.8 percent of 

 the total. 



From July 1, 1954, through June 30, 1956, the de- 

 partment planted 43,685,140 trout and salmon with a 

 total weight of 2,573,701 pounds. 



THREE NEW HATCHERIES 



Aloccasin Creek Hatchery was enlarged, and the Los 

 Serranos W'armwater Fisheries Base was constructed. 

 San Joaquin, Cedar Creek and Nimbus Hatcheries 

 \\ere constructed during the biennium. 



The new San Joaquin Hatchery is located below 

 Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River and, through an 

 agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, water for 

 its operation is obtained from Lake Alillerton. The 



^ 



Producing trout for summertime recreo/ion is a year-around job. Here, a 



worker feeds growing trout at (he deportment's Hot Creek Hotcliery in 



Mono County. 



(Fish and Game Photo) 



hatcherx consists of 36 rearing ponds, 12 circular 

 tanks, a hatchery building with 104 troughs, a food 

 preparation room, adequate refrigeration storage, a 

 shop and truck garage, 10 houses for employees, and 

 four ponds for warmwater fish. The warmwater fish 

 ponds are used principally for redistribution of res- 

 cued fish and for raising forage minnows. 



The new Cedar Creek Experimental Station, Men- 

 docino Count\ , was completed but suffered extensive 

 damage b\ flood waters in December, 1955. Repair 

 work at this location has been completed and the sta- 

 tion, with eight rearing ponds, is being operated at 

 full capacity . This hatcherx- is rearing \earling steel- 

 head trout for stocking experiments. 



Nimbus Hatchery was constructed b\- the U. S. 

 Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Central \'alleys 

 Project to compensate for lost spaw ning beds and to 

 aid in the maintenance of salmon and steelhead runs 

 in the American River. It is operated bv the depart- 

 ment under contract with the Federal Government. 



Moccasin Creek Hatchery, which was constructed 

 during the last biennium, has been increased in size 

 b\- the addition of 1 2 rearing ponds, an addition to the 

 truck garage, and two additional houses for em- 

 plovees. This hatchery is now capable of raising 

 800,000 catchable trout and 1,500,000 fingerlings for 

 a total weight of 160,000 pounds annuall\ . 



