FISHERIES 



The past biennium has been an extremely difficult one for the 

 Fisheries Division. Not only has it been almost impossible to keep our 

 hatcheries full-manned, but the limited personnel we were able to secure 

 was inexperienced. Due to the low wage scales prevailing during these 

 times in comparison with other industries and fields of endeavor, indi- 

 viduals accepting employment have usually only done so until a more 

 lucrative job could be obtained and very often their term of employment 

 would not exceed one to six months. 



The mechanical equipment and other physical apparatus of our 

 hatcheries have likewise been put to a severe test and especially the 

 distribution units and trucks used for planting fish from the hatch- 

 eries to the many streams and lakes over the State. Our previous policies 

 were to exchange these units practically every year for new equipment 

 and this year practically all of these units have entered their third year 

 of service and the maintenance problem has become quite critical. 



However, in spite of these and many other handicaps all hatcheries 

 within the State have operated to full capacity. This has been made 

 possible only by the splendid cooperation and untiring efforts of the 

 experienced personnel who have been left in charge. They have in many 

 cases disregarded all holidays and worked long hours to insure the 

 successful operation of their plants. Several of our neighboring states 

 have been compelled to suspend operations as much as 60 per cent and 

 we feel that this splendid record of continued operations could not have 

 been made possible without the loyal support of every hatchery man. 



Development work has also been carried out on the Marlowe and 

 Arlee Ponds near Arlee. Montana, and these units will be in full produc- 

 tion this coming season. 



The warm water fisheries program has made splendid progress. 

 Much of the stock for transplanting has been acquired through rescue 

 operations from various remote reservoirs where an overstocked condi- 

 tion existed. This year the Miles City Pond Culture Station which is 

 operated by the Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with the State 

 Fish and Game Department, produced a larger number of Bass. Crappies, 

 Bream and Bullheads than at any previous time and the cooperative 

 efforts of both agencies have been responsible for the stocking of over 

 200 reservoirs and lakes in the Eastern part of Montana in addition 

 to the restocking of many bodies of water where fishing pressures have 

 seriously depleted the species formerly predominating. However, to 

 bring tho warm water fisheries program to a more efficient plane much 

 additional equipment is required such as specially designed distribution 

 trucks, nets, traps, seines and experienced personnel to operate. This, 

 of course, is impossible to obtain at this time but should be acquired 

 just as soon as such equipment is released. 



It is sincerely hoped that with the cessation of hostilities in Europe 



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