Fearnow. — Fish Distribution. 163 



An idea of the magnitude of the distribution work 

 accomplished by the Bureau of Fisheries may be gained by 

 a study of the records covering plants of fish made in the 

 last twenty years. During that period the output of the 

 various hatcheries amounted to 72,281,380,861 fish. In the 

 distribution of this output, the bureau's cars travelled 2,029,- 

 416 miles and detached messengers 8,104,799 miles. 



ASSIGNMENT AND ALLOTMENT OF FISH 



In apportioning the bureau's output of fish it is always 

 a problem to decide on what waters are most in need of re- 

 stocking and the species most suitable for introduction there- 

 in. There is a desire on the part of the public for non-indi- 

 genous fishes. In some of the northern states where the 

 small-mouthed black bass is common, applicants request 

 large-mouthed black bass, while in North Carolina, Tennes- 

 see, and other southern states where the waters are adapted 

 to the large-mouthed black bass, applicants insist that the 

 Bureau introduce small-mouth black bass. Frequently 

 lake trout are desired for stocking waters in southern states 

 and in several instances insistent demands have been made 

 for brook trout in Florida waters. Of course, such requests 

 cannot be granted but it requires a great deal of time and 

 patience to convince the applicants that they should con- 

 fine themselves to suitable species. 



As the bureau has no representative to investigate the 

 condition of the various streams for which fish are desired, 

 it is necessary to rely to a great extent on information 

 furnished by the applicants. Sometimes, however, the 

 bureau consults the state fish commissions in regard to the 

 fish that should be placed in certain waters, this being 

 especially true with reference to requests for spiny-finned 

 species for trout regions. 



In order that this information may be accessible at all 

 times, a card index system is maintained showing the species 

 of fish that have been planted in the various streams for a 

 number of years. These plants are followed up at intervals 

 and notations made on the cards showing what results 

 attended each planting. The system will eventually become 

 a complete index of streams in the United States and will 

 show the results that have followed each planting of fish. 



The number of fish can be furnished an applicant de- 

 pends on the area of the water to be stocked, size and num- 

 ber of fish available for distribution, and distance the fish 

 have to be transported. 



