FISH PLANTING IN PUBLIC WATERS
A Guide for Stocking the Inland Waters of
New York State with Food and Game Fish
By TARLETON H. BEAN, M.S., M.D.
State Fish Culturist
The Value of Fish and Fishing – While no figures are available on which to base an estimate of the value of both food and game fish annually taken from the waters of New York State, there is ample justification for believing that this would run into millions of dollars.
The returns from licensed net fishermen alone show that in 191 5 5,886,03 1 pounds of fish of all kinds were taken by them from the waters of the State, outside of the marine district, the estimated value of which was $296,362.91.
There are still other advantages of good fishing that are too tremendous to be calculated in dollars and cents. Untold thousands of people are attracted each year to vacation resorts on the lakes and streams of the State, largely by reason of the fishing afforded there; and the amount of health and pleasure that they derive from angling pursuits is infinitely more important than the mere market value of the fish that they catch.
If it were not, however, for extensive artificial propagation and the stocking of inland waters with the hatchery products, the natural supply of the State’s best fish would long since have been brought to the point of exhaustion, and the State would have been deprived of one of its most important natural resources.
Fish Propagation and Distribution in New York
State fish culture in New York is carried on under the direction of the Conservation Commission. Eleven hatcheries are maintained, located at Bath, Bemus Point, Cold Spring Harbor, Constantia, Linlithgow, Margaretville, Mumford, Ogdensburg, Old Forge, Upper Saranac and Warrensburg. In 1915 there were distributed from them 845,756,551 fry and fingerlings, representing about thirty species.
The annual value of the hatchery output, computed at the prevailing market rates is upwards of $200,000. Nevertheless, the annual cost of maintaining the hatcheries is only about $75,000. Thus, a large financial saving is affected by the State operating its own hatcheries.
The Commission supplies fish only for public waters, and not for private preserves or other posted property. Persons who desire to stock streams or lakes may obtain from the Commission blank forms containing questions which, when properly answered, furnish a means of determining the kind and number of fish required for the waters.
Applications for trout must be sent in before February 1, and those for all other species before April 1. Only one application will be granted for a single stream or lake, except in the care of large waters, and then only for planting at different points. Over 6000 applications were received and granted in 191 5, about 70 fish and game associations being numbered among the applicants.
Artificial Hatching More Efficient than Natural Propagation
Under natural spawning conditions, eggs and young fish are exposed to multitudes of enemies. Freshets bring down sediment that covers up and smothers eggs resting upon the stream bottoms.
Certain fish, including minnows, suckers, and sculpins, devour great quantities of eggs of other and more valuable species. The larger predaceous fish prey upon the young of practically all species. Diseases may attack fish at any stage of their existence, especially in polluted waters.
Consequently, it is quite safe to say that a mere fraction of one per cent of all the eggs naturally deposited ever become mature fish. In artificial propagation, on the other hand, the percentage of loss in hatching has been reduced to trifling proportions. The very high state of efficiency attained in the hatcheries makes this phase of fish culture profitable.
Necessity of Efficiency in Planting
It is in the highest degree desirable that this same efficiency should be extended to the planting methods. The Commission itself plants practically all of its food fish, but at present direct supervision over the gamefish practically ceases when the cans of fry or fingerlings are delivered on the platforms of the railway stations.
In many cases the lack of special knowledge and experience on the part of those who transport the cans to the streams and do the actual planting results in great loss. Thus, certain waters that have been stocked with thousands upon thousands of fry and fingerlings during a long period of years still produce, for one reason or another, very indifferent, if any, fishing. The planting of food fish by the Commission, however, is uniformly successful, indicating that proper attention to details will bring results.
In order, therefore, to devise more intelligent and effective methods of stocking and protection, based upon thorough knowledge of the actual conditions obtaining in the streams and lakes, the Commission has undertaken an intensive Investigation of the waters of the State.
Some of the principal subjects for investigation ‘are the following: the distribution and habitats of the fish found at present in these waters; their food habits, as determined by analysis of their stomach contents; the supply of natural food available, such as insects, mollusks, crustaceans, worms, and aquatic vegetation; the spawning seasons of the various fish; their natural enemies; stream pollution and methods of controlling it; proper open and closed seasons; methods of cooperation between the Commission and associations and individuals interested in propagating or protecting fish. It is confidently believed that this investigation will lay the foundation for a marked increase in the quantity, as well as for improvement in the quality, of the fishing in New York State.
Pending the completion of the first season’s study, and the publication of the detailed results and working plans, the Commission has issued the present bulletin, which furnishes concise information and general directions for planting the various species of fish distributed from the State hatcheries.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF STOCKING
Stream Study and Plans Essential Preliminaries
Plans for stocking should be made during the driest part of the preceding season. Only the streams or parts of streams that have not then dried up or become stagnant should be considered in the plans for future planting. Every detail regarding the adaptability of the stream or lake for the fish that it is desired to plant should be carefully considered. Foresight in this direction will save many fish that would otherwise be lost.
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