1 88 TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



Several hundred dollars were devoted to the painting of the hatchery 

 and ice house, repairs to the hatchery roof and chimney, and other changes 

 desired relate to the walks about the hatchery grounds, retaining walls 

 along the river, and pond construction, permitting increase of capacity. 

 This station is favorably situated for extensive work in the culture of frost- 

 fish — a small species of whitefish greatly prized by the public. In Eighth 

 lake, particularly, there is a large race of frostflsh from which Foreman 

 Burke obtained 575,000 eggs during the last season. The average weight of 

 the fish is about one and one-half to two pounds. The spawning time is 

 later than in any other of the lakes of the Fulton Chain, occurring in the latter 

 part of December. 



The frostfish is valuable not only for human food, but also for feeding 

 the large trout and other game fishes. An objection urged to this species, and 

 to all the white fishes, is the fact that it does not take the hook and is caught 

 only in nets. It is sometimes held that such fishes are unworthy of the 

 attention of the fish culturists, but it should be remembered that the time 

 is not far distant when the imperative demands of the people for food fish 

 must be met, and it will undoubtedly become necessary to amend the laws 

 so as to permit the capture of whitefishes by any available method. It is 

 true that such permission may involve the occasional destruction of trout, 

 but the same objection will apply to many other methods of capture now 

 authorized by law. As the main object of fishery regulation is the greatest 

 good to the greatest number, it goes without saying that some modifications 

 must be made from time to time to meet the urgent needs and demands of 



the people. 



Distribution of Young Fish. 



For several reasons the planting of fish in the future should be begun 

 and finished earlier than in 1906. There is good ground for the belief that 

 most streams can be successfully stocked with fry, and it is not necessary 

 to hold trout at the stations until they reach the age of fingerlings. After 

 the fry have begun to feed at the hatcheries they are prepared to seek and 

 find natural food in the waters to be stocked. The State of Michigan fur- 

 nishes a good illustration of the results of planting brook trout and rainbow 

 trout fry. Pennsylvania secures equally favorable conditions by following 

 the same course. Examples might be multiplied indefinitely. Shad fry 



