The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-12-09
State Will Educate Ito
Citizens in Fish
Conservation
BUYING THE BEST

i
Specialize in the spring on rain.
bow trout for summer planting;
| Rid the trout streams of deleteri.
GUS whitefish and mullett, carp and
squawfish;
Introduce an extensive statewide
campaign of education to teach fish
conservation and to encourage eating
OF fish. s.
Commissioner Isaac said, Thurs
day, that an excellent species of east
ern brook trout has been discovered
in the Lost river above the Mackay
reservoir, and that from this place
state agents already have secured
374,000 eggs for the hatcheries.
State Buys All in Sight
The state, Furthermore, has con-
tracted for all the available eggs in
private hatcheries, having in this
class or orders approximately 1;20O,-
900 eggs of the eastern trout species.
The 1919 drouth, the commission
er said, has occasioned sharp COM
petition among fish agents in fed
eral and eastern hatcheries, and
neighboring states, including Ore
gon, Washington, Montana and 9TH
ers, have been bidding against Idaho.
Nevertheless, Idaho has obtained
enough fish to bring the winter to-
tails to nearly the 100000 mark.
The department is now concentrat-
ing on orders for rainbow trout
spawn, to insure for spring delivery
enough eggs to carry on an increased
summer business. The rainbow spe-
cies will be cared for in the state
hatcheries as soon as the eastern
trout have been reared and distrib-,
uted.
VIII Breed Better Fish
Special attention is being given
by the department to the deteriora-
toin Of trout in Idaho streams due
to inbreeding, and, to offset this de-
terioration, only fish of thorough
bred stock will be placed in many of
the streams. This will bring up the
standard.
The departments efforts to rid
trout waters of deleterious fish are
progressing slowly on account of the
extreme weather conditions. AS an
nounced last month, $500 pounds of
whitefish have been taken from the
outlet of Henry's lake and 5000
pounds of mullet removed from the
Blackfoot river. Commissioner Isaac
explained the relation of this work
to trout conservation by showing that
fishermen are constantly removing
trout from the streams, while the
other fish, multiplying in theier
places, gradually crowd them out.
By thinning out the less fished for
stock, the state makes room for the
trout to grow.
Plan to Educate Citizens
Perhaps the most sweeping of the
states new. plans is that relative to
statewide education. Already the
commissioner and his aides are ex-
planning to commercial clubs and rod
and gun clubs the proper methods of
planting young fish and also the
proper places to put them at their
several sizes or ages. This program
WILL VIC OuldI6cu W luCluuc SCuOOlS, |
high schools and colleges, to show
the children and youth of the state
tain thoroughly the mating habits of
fish, the reasons for conservation,
and the methods of accomplishing
the states ends.
In furtherance Of this program,
the fish branch Of the fish and game |
bureau Of the state is conducting an !
investigation to ascer-
tain thoroughly the matin ghabits of |
different fish, the important details |
in connection with their reproduc-
ton, and in connection also with |
their artificial and natural rearing. |
Birds and Game Later !
Eventually not only fish, but birds
and game, will be included in the |
educational program, whereby citi-
zens Of the state will be told in their
youth much that every man and wo-
man in Idaho should know about the
habits of Idaho wild life.
The officials Of the fish and game
bureau often declare that strangers
to Idaho are better informed On the
habits of Idaho wild life than most
native Idahoans, who have never
been interested in making special
study.
IA