Department of Fish Culture 



REPORT OF HON. J. D. LAWRENCE, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER IN CHARGE 



Hon. J. S. Whipple, Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner: 



DEAR SIR. — An advance far beyond all our expectations has been 

 made during the year 1909 in our fish cultural work. Every hatch- 

 ery shows a marked increase in its productiveness, and the many 

 people who are interested in this branch of your Department will undoubt- 

 edly be pleased with the notable expansion which is shown. Particularly 

 is this desirable at the present time when the cost of meat has soared so high 

 that a supply of cheap fish food is an absolute necessity for the great majority 

 of our people. 



A year ago the hatcheries turned out a total of 394,177,789 fish of all 

 kinds to be planted in the waters of the State. This was high-water mark 

 at the time ; but it has been far eclipsed by the record of the past year, which 

 shows a total of 531,293.721 fish of all kinds, including 9,235,641 game fish 

 and 522,058,080 food fish. The total cost of the hatchery system for the 

 year past was $82,839.21. This may seem a considerable sum, but dollar 

 for dollar many times this amount has been returned to the State in actual 

 value for the benefit of the people. Figured on the basis of the price pre- 

 vailing in commercial hatcheries, the 531,293,721 fish planted by the Com- 

 mission during the year were worth $753,838.74. This large sum is what 

 it would have cost the people of the State to buy the fish which were raised 

 in our hatcheries at a cost of $82,839.21. 



All fish sent out by the Commission from the State hatcheries are large 

 and vigorous, amply able to take care of themselves when planted, and 

 easily worth the highest price charged for each species by the commercial 

 hatcheries. For the benefit of those interested in such matters, it may be 



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