The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-07-28

Among the many subjects which the
Legislature has made tho object ofspcc
ial enactments, have been "Fish,'
"Game" and "Insectivorous Birds !"
and it is almost impossible for any one
to tell what the law in relation to those
three things is. That they should be
under some general statutory regula-
tions would seem to be certain; but in
the absence Of that, shall endeavor to
state understandingly what the law is,
so far as Columbia county is concerned,
on those three heads.
AS early as March 14th, 1861, an act
was passed "for the preservation of fish
in the rivers Delaware, Susquehanna
and Lehigh," and deprecating the de.
struction and taking of fish, as had
been practiced, and prohibiting the set
ting up and maintaining of wiers, bas-
kets, dams, etc., under severe penalties.
On the Sd Of April, 1904, part of Big
Fishingcrcek, and part Of Catawissa,-
spelled "Cattewissi, "-creek We're de-
clared public high ways; and on the
10th March, 1907, fishing with scoop,
seine, brush, nets, or devices of any kind
was prohibited, from Saturday at PM
until Monday at 8 A. NJ; in the Susque-
hanna, and those branches declared
public highways. And only one haul
was to be made in any one place in twen-
ty-four hours. To the breach of which
regulations consid cradle penalties were
attached.
On the 1st March, 1915, supplement
to the act of March 10th, 1907 was pass
ed, re-enforcing the prohibitions of the
former, and enacting further, that no
seine or net be drawn sin the North
Branch of the river Susquehanna, be.
tween the town of Northumberland and
the mouth of Nescopec creek, on the
Thursday ofany week, under penalty
of three hundred dollars" The prohi-
bilion extending from sun rise to sun
rise, by act of March 9th, 1871.
1t is not proposed to follow up, act by
act, the legislative care over the fish,
but these early laws are mentioned, to
show that for more than a hundred
years our law makers have had their
attention turned to their preservation /;
and it is much to be regretted that the
laws were not more stringent and much
more strictly enforced. The wanton,
useless and criminal destruction Of fish
game, birds and forest trees has long
| a Of fD 4 n L. ~ mn n
and the re-propagation and careful pre-
servation of all of them has now become
imperatively necessary, and should bt
enforced by heavy penalties uniformly
and impartially inflicted.
Notwithstanding all these and othel
prohibitions and penalties, indiscrimi
nate and destructive fishing continued
and in 1867, April Sd, an act was passed
making it unlawful "to fish with any
kind of nets or seines in the waters O
Big Fishingcreek and its tributaries, il
the counties of Columbia and Luzerne;
under penalty Of twenty-five dollars
or in default of payment, twenty day
Imprisonment. And on the 10th o
April, 1867, further act, prohibiting
the use or throwing of any drugor Graz.
bait, coclicus indicus, lime or any pois
on into the Susquehanna or its tributar
les in Columbia county; and enforcing
it by penalty Of forty dollars, or in
prisonment until fine and costs are pait
or secured to be paid.
| frbn nj Of 4, lN;Sh Al :,
sioner, and various enactments not ne
cessary to be specifically referred to, wer
made from 1866 up; and in 1868 concur
rent legislation of Maryland and NeS
York was asked for, in view of our loca
enactments. The same supplement au
thoriZed the courts of the counties hay
ing Jurisdiction of the river Susquehar
ma, "to confer upon local constables tn
functions of water baiiins, so that they
the said constables, may be fully author
lied to abate the nuisances declared
= be such under the several acts to whic
| this act is a supplement, and other COG
| nate laws of the Commonwealth ;
which includes all those to which refe
\ ence has been made. p. l.. 1869 page L
On the 9th May, 1871, an act was al
. proved prohibiting the taking of sa
mon, or black bass, by any means {
'. device whatsoever, in the Susquehanr
n or its tributaries, until August lst, 1877
l. the fine to be five dollars per fish, an
@ in default ofpayment an imprlsonmer
;. Of ten days. Also, no "salmon, pix
It perch, jack salmon and fish know
is scientifically as StigoStedium america
Q. un," shall be taken in any streams i
cluded in this act "between the first
10 February and the first of June in al
1t year." under the same penalty; and t
q foregoing penalties and projections n
o. applied "to the taking of any newly !
of troduced and approved food fishes"
ne any of the said streams. Placing a
at deleterious substance, or any pisciv
y, Gus fishes in any stream or pond, wi
he intent to destroy the trout or bass the
is in, is made "A misdemeanor, with a p,
on atty of one hundred dollars.
ia "No speckled brook trout, nor q
ell speckled river trout shall be taken
ell any time in our streams" with any
est vice, save only with hook and lin
nd and that "only during the months
ry April, May, June and July, and
ar first fifteen days Of August, unde
nannlty of five dollars for each trOu