86 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. 



increasing their numbers, and by prohibiting all fishing, and the consequent 

 destruction of large numbers of the more valuable species during the closed 

 season. 



One of the most important questions before the people of West Virginia is 

 the conservation of the natural resources of the state, particularly the forests. 

 Upon the solution of this question naturally rests the final success or failure 

 to successfully stock and maintain the fishes in the streams of the state. 

 Greed and indifference along these lines has wrought destruction and brought 

 about a rapid decline in the supply of fresh water fishes in almost every state 

 in the Union, West Virginia being no exception. It has only been within the 

 last few years that this decline in the supply of these fishes has been arrested 

 in some of the states by the extensive fish cultural work conducted by the 

 Federal and State governments. Under such conditions as in many states exist, 

 we should not expect the fishes of our waters to survive, much less increase in 

 numbers. I know of no state where the stocking of streams with fish produced 

 by artificial methods applies so well as it does in West Virginia. Until recent 

 years the more common food fishes were abundant, but with the great industrial 

 development of the state, of which we are justly proud, have come evils which 

 have wrought destruction, practically destroying aquatic life in many streams 

 and working great injury in others. The logging methods have undoubtedly 

 seriously effected the condition of many streams, while drainage from mines 

 and refuse from tanneries have destroyed and rendered uninhabitable the 

 aquatic life in many others. In some cases the pollution of streams may not 

 seriously effect the ^ife of the fish inhabiting them, but the indirect effect 

 the destruction of the natural food upon which they subsist, is as detrimental 

 as though life of the fish were directly affected. When a stream is once prop- 

 erly stocked with the fish best adapted to its waters the abundance of fish to 

 be thereafter maintained will, undoubtedly, be in direct proportion to the 

 natural food supply and the protection given them. Therefore the three di- 

 visions of this subject, natural fish propagation, natural food supply, and pro- 

 tection, are about equally important. 



The condition of the streams of the state, in general, appear to be slowly 

 improving, and especially is this true in regard to the smaller mountain 

 streams. Many streams draining various territories, and in which trout and 

 other fishes formerly existed, are no longer polluted, lumbering and mining op- 

 erations having ceased. Such streams can be easily stocked, and restored to 

 their once former condition with regard to fish life, with the assurance that 

 reproduction will resume normal condiitions. It is also true that in the ab- 

 sence of polluting materials, or substances, the natural food upon which the 

 fish subsist will again re-establish itself and the stream will also become nor- 

 mal in this respect. 



It is pleasing to note the changing conditions for the better. By artificial 

 propagation and with the aid of natural reproduction, the time is not far 

 distant when the fishing can be practically held good, and the streams which 

 have been fished out can be restocked with assurances of success. But such 

 conditions must be largely brought about and maintained by the artificial 

 propagation of fish suited to such waters. 



Protection, however, is of very great importance in maintaining the fish in 

 the streams of the state, and. upon this largely depends success in restocking 



