and growth of trout. We simply could not maintain 

 fishing at its present level with hatchery fish alone. 



Montana is losing good trout stream habitat at 

 an alarming rate. Stream straightening, dam build- 

 ing, channel changing, pollution, siltation, irrigation 

 and over-grazing of stream banks by livestock are 

 all taking their toll. Trout stream habitat is going 

 "down the drain" so fast that we cannot even ade- 

 quately inventory the losses. 



Is Montana's unique trout stream fishery worth 

 protecting? Sheer economics alone say so. A 1960 

 study showed fishermen spent 36 million dollars 

 pursuing their sport in the state. About two-thirds of 



the fishing was on trout streams. This fishery can 

 become more and more of an asset to Montana, but 

 only if it is protected and perpetuated. 



We need public understanding of the importance 

 of trout stream habitat to trout fishing. The Fish and 

 Game Commission is in the position of having the 

 responsibility for managing the fisheries resource 

 without having a word to say about what may be 

 done to the habitat of that resource. 



Legislation is needed to protect trout stream habi- 

 tat and insure perpetuation of Montana's trout 

 streams and fishery. 



GENERAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT 



General fisheries management covers all aspects 

 of fisheries outside of fish propagation in hatcheries. 

 It is concerned with fish losses, including those 

 caused by the damage or destruction of fish habitat; 

 with the proper use of hatchery fish; with stream and 

 lake improvement and rough fish eradication; with 

 fishermen access; with the creation of new fishing 



writers, and with investigation of management prob- 

 lems. This is the work of the fishery biologist. Much 

 of it is supported with federal aid funds. Some of 

 the more detailed studies are made in cooperation 

 with the Zoology and Entomology Department of 

 Montana State College and the Bureau of Sport 

 Fisheries and Wildlife. 



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