The Elk Mountain pilot., 1913-09-26
Move on for County
Fish Hatchery

lishcd quite long article on the
question of Gunnison county',I fish
ing interests, question which each
year has been growing more and
more important as it has been real
lied that the fish in our streams
were gradually disappearing and the
numbers steadily diminishing.
Other newspapers of the county
have commented favorably on the
plan and we understand there is a
general opinion that such a move
will prove good thing.
The subject is one that has been
agitated and argued pro and con
for years, but with the completion
OF the Rainbow route the great i'm
portance Of putting into action some
effective means of replenishing the
fish supply has dawncd forcibly up
on the people of the county ard the
matter of establishing county fish
hatchery has been gaining much
favor. In fast, citizens in general
have become nightly interested,
and realizing that they cannot hope
to secure the desired results from a
state source Of supply, there is now
l,cing launched movement TO have
the proposition of n county hatchery
taken up by the board of county
commissioners at their next meeting
and if conditions are> favorable and
the plan found to be feasible un-
taking, to take decided steps at once
towards establishing such plant,
to Ike maintained by the coupty and
run for the direct benefit OF the pco-
pie Of the county.
By those who have made the mat
ter somewhat Of a study, it iR claimed
that the expense of establishing the
hatchery would bc very nominal and
the results far-rcochiug. 1t IS aieo
not improbable that the project
could Ike made practically self-sus-
tanning. Hundreds more OF tourists
and pleasure seekers would he at
trlcted to the county every season
than arc now coming in, and this.
without question would be county
wide benefit. Therefore the ques-
ton is not sectional affair, but Of
much concern to citizens in all parts
OF Gunnison county.
A private hatchery is now located
at the Hillside lake, just east of
Crested Butte and we understand
arrangements can be made to take
Eastern brook trout spawn out OF
the lake this fall and the supply is
all that would be desired. The
spawn would be taken thru Novem-
ber. This would allow quick and
effectual results with no delay what
ever. Before time for spring spawn
ing permanent site could be Sc
lected and arrangements made for
taking the spawn of the native and
rainbow.
The plan is to secure to services
of Il reliable, scientifically qualified
man, who knows fish culture thoroly,
to have charge of the hatchery.
Next ye,r thousands OF fry could
he turned back into the streams,
where now we get not even hundreds.
Only about three weeks ago a
shipment of young trout was sent
here to Crested Butte from the state
hatchery, $4,000 to. 10000. They
were not properly attended to and
all were dead in the cans at the
depot but about 400 when Commits
sioncr Whalcn was notified that
they were there. We were unable
to learn who was responsible for the
carclessness, but it stands out as
prima facia evidence that the local
interests Of the people are not taken
care of, and this can be easily over
come by county management. 1t is
a wcll-known fact. also, that a
wholesale slaughter of small fish has
been going on continually, and large
numbers are caught every year un-
dor size from the sn{:,lIc reeks csppc-