| Show Ask Fish Stocking Changes 3 Significant i lions are contained in a far i- reaching study of federal and 5 state sport fish production 1 and stocking policies just 2 completed by an independent 5 panel of experts and submit-v ted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife DIVISION of Wildlife 1 Resources Director John E. Phelps served on the panel along with experts from other 1 conservation The main thrust of the 31 H recommendations is the Z federal 2 that there be greater control by states of fish production and stocking of all E public waters except in special THE IDEAL federal role according to a poll of state would be limited to backup production of certain fish like steelhead trout and salmon and more emphasis on research in areas such as fish nutrition and disease control in The report points out that there publicly-operated fish hatcheries in the United state-operated and 90 federally-operated report ditl not TROUT production dominates fish culture programs for the nation's inland with federal and state hatcheries producing over million trout more than million trout and about 70 million large trout a Noteworthy among the report's recommendations are the states assume full management and financial responsibility for stocking inland public fishing waters within their except for special which justify assistance from federal or local or from private utilities or other appropriate the existing federal fish stocking program for Indian lands be the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service continue to implement the decision already made to remove the Federal Government from responsibility for stocking private farm that responsibility be shifted in a manner which does not abruptly burden any state the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a policy prohibiting the stocking of federal i private waters lacking public i the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service not provide fish for except in large federal reservoirs under heavy fishing pressure when the state involved cannot develop the optional recreational potential without that the Service should not provide more than half the fish used in such reservoir the Federal Service should not provide fish for put-and-take stocking in urban areas or for urban recreational substantial fish culture operations which are found to be necessary involving endangered species be on in new facilities built and operated with funds not derived from the sale of sport fishing The report was prepared at the request of the Interior The task force surveyed state and federal fish production solicited the opinions of state fish and game officials about appropriate federal-state and developed its CHAIRMAN of the group was Dr Alex former chief of California's inland fisheries In addition to Director other official members were Charles Alabama Division of Game and Chuck Fisheries Minnesota Department of Natural and Carl executive Sport Fishing |
