REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 23 
REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHCULTURE. 
The Honorable Board of Fish and Game Commissioners. 
GENTLEMEN: We herewith submit a brief report on the operations 
of the Department of Fishculture for the two years beginning July 1, 
1916, and ending June 30, 1918. 
TROUT DISTRIBUTION. , 
These two seasons were very favorable for hatchery operations. The 
total output of trout try for the biennial period was 35,058,000, an 
increase of 16 per cent over the previous two years. The output of 
trout fry for 1916 was 16,214,000; for 1917 it was 18,844,000. This is 
the largest number of trout fry distributed during the same period of 
time in any state of which we have any record. These fish were 
hatched and the fry shipped to the different streams and lakes of the 
state. There are records in some other states of an equally large out- 
put of trout fry, but the great majority of them were planted locally 
near the hatcheries. 
The fry above mentioned were distributed, to a large extent, by our 
distribution cars over an area greater than any other state in the Union. 
Our distribution was carefully made and the fry planted in good con- 
dition. 
The great number of people traveling through the mountainous dis- 
tricts of California, eager to hunt and fish, has caused all the accessible 
streams to be fished very heavily. The easy accessibility of the streams 
in many localities, and the great number of fish taken, has caused such 
a heavy demand on the streams that the output of fry should be in- 
creased to 25,000,000 or 30,000,000 annually. If this is not done, the 
fishing season should be shortened or the daily or weekly limit reduced. 
The present limit of 10 pounds a day is excessive, and should be 
reduced. If the limit of 10 pounds a day is to be allowed, as a great 
many anglers do not care to go to the expense of a trip to the country 
for a less amount, then the weekly limit should be reduced. The exces- 
sive fishing in the districts near the centers of population and near the 
highways has caused a great many streams to yield only small fish, the 
fry not having a chance to attain any considerable size. Fry planted 
in the summer or fall are caught the next spring, when they are only 
from 4 to 6 inches in length. This condition could be greatly improved 
by enacting a law giving the ish and Game Commission the power to 
close certain streams for a limited period, thus allowing .the fry a 
chance to grow. If certain streams in each district were closed for 
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