Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-10
OUR FISHING INTERESTS.

| There is believed to be heavy shortage
in the salmon catch of the Sacramento
river this year, and the pack will be Light.
The subject of the decline of the run OF
salmon in the river will form an import
ant topic for the consideration of the next
Legislature. 1t has been suggested that
there is a periodieity in these declines,
due to the running OF the fish in other
and generally unfrequented quarters, in
years widely separated. But there is no
positive proof of this. The burden of tes-
timony rather inclines to establish steady
decline for many years in the supply,
broken by few years of good fishing, but
on the whole a regular declination of the
supply. This is attributable to four
causes the abandonment of running
courses at stated periods without known
cause, destruction of fish by seals off the
Golden Gate, deterioration Of the river
itself, by choking sand bars, muddied waters,
narrow channels, ETC., and lastly, over-fsh-
ing. The two last mentioned are unques-
tionably factors in the question. Ger
tain it is, that there is . short catch Of
Sacramento salmon this year, and that is a
sudden and most unusual falling off in the
catch, that were it to continue, would
threaten the extinction of the industry.
The falling off this year will probably be
made up by the British Columbia and the
Oregon markets, where good average
pack is anticipated, and that always
leaves an excess for such call
as ours. When the Legislature
assemblies we shall expect to witness liberal
action with regard to our food fish affairs.
The laws are well enough so far as they
go, but there is need to enlarge the powers
of the Fish Commission and to give it
more financial means for protecting and
restocking the river and bay waters. At
present it has to contend with many diff
culties, not the least of which is lack of
time to give the attention to this great in
dustry that its importance demands. The
Commission is unsalaried, and hence It's
labors are purely philanthropic. This re-
quiring of men to give their time and abil-
ity to the State is debatable question.
As a rule it is better to pay State officers
well, open the. lists to the rich and poor
alike and hold them to strict accountable
| ity for the discharge of duty. We might
very well lessen the number of official
| bodies and require broader duty of others,
paying all State agents at least for their
time and expenses. 1t is certain that very
much more than is allowed the Fish Com
mission could be pro6tably expended in
the interests of the State In so small
matter as that Of the shrimp fishery, there
is wrong constantly perpetrated we cannot
expect the Commission to correct for
obvious reasons. The Chinese BY whole
sale fishing for shrimps, and shipping them
10 China, are, in the opinion of some ex-
perts, running the fisheries and extermi-
mating that appetizing denizen of the
waters of San Francisco bay, where it
hourishes better than in any other place
in the world, the California shrimp being
larger and more palatable than those
melted anywhere else We have not
specific information as to all the obstacles
the Commission is meeting, for we have