The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1917-02-02

the department of the state game
warden is paid.
BY an act approved March 8, 1907,
the Montana state fish commission
was created, to consist of two mem
bers and the state game warden, with
authority to select d site for and to
erect thereon a state fish hatchery.
BY an act approved March 10, 1913,
the membership of the state fish
commission was increased to five
members, four members to be ap-
pointed by the governor and the fifth
member to be the state game warden.
Established Fish Hatchery.
AS so constituted the state fish
commission established an additional
fish hatchery in Flathead county.
near the town of Somers. Prior to
the time when the state undertook
the propagation and the distribution
of fry. the only source of supply for
restocking the streams of the state
wat from the government hatchery
located at Bozeman and only a linn
tied supply could be obtained there
from. Since the time when the two
state hatcheries have been in opera
ton, the number of fish fry which
have been annually distributed in the
waters of the state has increased
from about six million a year until
now the capacity of the hatcheries is
in the neighborhood or twenty mil
lion fry a year, depending upon the
success with which eggs are obtained
for Matching purposes.
Distribution of Fry.
The varieties of game and fish
which are handled by the hatcheries
are the native trout, the eastern
brook trout, the RAINBOW trout, the
grayling and the Montana white fish.
Much aid is rendered in the direction
OF distributing the fry through local
eportsmen's associations, who select
the streams in which the fry r to be
planted, and meet the fish car at the
railroad station and take them in
ten gallon cans to the points where
they are to be planted. Written d.
r~ections are furnished giving instruc-
lions as to where and how the fry
should be planted. Much assist
ance has been rendered by interested
individuals in making the paintings
and further aid has been rendered
the railroad companies that carry the
fish car in which the fish are taken
from the hatcheries to various parts
of the state without expense to the
state therefore.
It is necessary to have a fish car
because from the time when the fish
fry are taken from The running wa
tiers in the hatcheries and placed in
cans to be transferred to the places Of
planting it is necessary to keep the
cans aerated and this Is done by
means Of an engine which pumps air
through pipes to each of the cans in
which the fish are carried. In this
way little or no loss occurs in taking
the fish from the hatcheries to the
streams. 1t is pleasing to note that
many of the streams which were for
merly depleted of the finny tribe
have, in recent years, been brought
back to a point where they are we'll
stocked with the various species men,
toned above.
It has been found chat the rainbow
trout is readily propagated and grows
to a large size in the streams OF Mon
tana although not native to the wa
ters Of this state.
Revenue 10000 Annually.
The amount of money which is de-
4ANCO SdCu yC01 VII u o0AC VA :
censes averages about 100000, and
from this amount is paid all
of the expenses of the office OF
the state game warden including the
salaries and expenses of deputies, the
cost of prosecuting criminal cases,
and the expenses of the meetings OF
the state fish commission. The mem.
bers of the commission receive nc
g.. Ah>Sv e4rvsooa hut hovo fhoiY
expenses paid. From the funds sc
derived, improvements are made IN
the h%atcheries and the salaries OF
those employed by the commission
to gather eggs n perform the
of are also paid.
fronted with the expense of purchas'
ing a new car to be used in the distri'
button of fry owing to the fact thai
the car which has been used for the
past few years has become damaged
SO that it is no longer suitable for tn
purpose.
The interest in the work done II
restocking the streams increases al
good results are found to follow. The
real interest in this work originated
was established and in successful op
Grafton at Columbia Gardens two
years before any hat hery was au
thorized by state law. At the pres
ent time there are SO anglers asso
Citations in state, and while the mem
bership Of the association at Butte
is the largest, over 1000, enthusiasm
in these associations in other part
of the state 10 equal to that displayed
in Butte and much good has hereto
fore been and will hereafter be accom-
plished through local organizations