Broivii. — Adjustment of Environment vs. Stocking. 133 



the same number of fingerlings. So far, good ! But what becomes 

 of these little fish when they are set free to sink or swim in our 

 open waters? Does the average individual or fish and game asso- 

 ciation, to whom they must be entrusted, give them a good or even 

 a fair chance for survival? It is regrettable, but I fear the answer 

 must be negative. 



Costly and disastrous mistakes on the part of individuals to 

 whom fish are turned over for planting, or who secure them them- 

 selves from private hatcheries, are the rule rather than the ex- 

 ception. The usual haste which attends the actual introductions 

 causes the fish to be literally dumped into waters at one or two 

 convenient points without regard to equalizing the temperature 

 in the cans or thought of possible shelter for the young fish while 

 getting their bearings. Bass and pickerel are placed in waters 

 ideal for trout. Trout are placed in natural bass waters. Trout 

 and bass are placed in the same waters. Waters absolutely lacking 

 in forage fish are heavily stocked with large, voracious, predatory 

 species. Species which require running water on shallows for 

 spawning are placed in deep lakes having no current, and vice versa. 

 Large-mouth bass are placed in clear rock-bound lakes, while the 

 small-mouth is introduced where mud and turbidity prevail. Fishes 

 already nearly eliminated, either by other fishes of the natural suc- 

 cession or an environment to which they are unsuited, are given 

 support by heavy stocking and the wasteful struggle is kept up 

 for a few years longer. As if all the violent reactions which the 

 foregoing lines of action create v/ere not sufficient, much harm has 

 been done by introduction of species for the sole reason that they 

 were known favorably from other regions or even other countries. 

 The carp and brown trout are notorious examples from abroad. 

 Both are, indirectly and directly, respectively, highly destructive 

 of our native fishes ; neither furnish sport equal to that given by 

 the indigenous species which they displace, and both, depending 

 upon the individual case, are difficult if not impossible to eliminate. 

 Thus it is seen that the almost incredible lack of knowledge which 

 everywhere prevails among the average owners of waters, and to 

 which may be added a deplorable lack of realization of the serious- 

 ness of the situation which our native fishes are facing, is probably 

 the greatest single drawback to extension of our fish culture. 



Intelligent stocking of waters requires more time and study 

 than the average busy man can aflford to give. The mere fact 



