Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-16
DUB FISH SUPPLY.
Necessary Amendments to the Laws for
Fish Protection and Propagation.
NJ .,..u,rrrrr LroI,tr,ar,r 1890

Necessary Amendments to the Laws for
Fish Protection and Propagation.
MARysvILLE, February Ii. 1889.
EDS RECORD MON: Ny excuse for writ
ing this communication is that I desire to
aid, if possible, in the passage of more
stringent Acts and amendments to the laws
for the protection aud propagation of fish,
and being in poor health, do not. at present,
feel able to attend the session of the Legis-
lature in person. In my Judgment the
most important amendments proposed are
included in Assembly Bills No. 295. 364
and 376. The first named to prohibit
sawdust from passing into any ofthe waters
of this State.' The second provides for
a longer close season for salmon, and
the third gives the Commissioners au-
thority to determine what must be the size
of mature fish. The question of sawdust
in the waters of this State is not new one
and we are aware that able men have con-
tended that it was not deleterious to fish
yet is fact that others are just as positive
that it is, and am one of the latter class
having satisfied myself by personal OBJ
servation. But if it were not. there are
other reas ons sufficient TO demand its pro-
hibition from all waters inhabited by fish
or consumed, by the people. There is not
person familiar with the natural spawning
and propagation of fish. but will tell you
that no fish can be produced from ova de-
posted where sawdust comes in contact
with it. This has been demonstrated both
in natural and artificial Matching, and is
an admitted fact that the water must be
free of such substances or from s diment-
ary deposits of all kinds to the successful
Matching of the eggs of fish, particularly of
oo1 uuh 81
forty days 10 hatch. Viewing it from a
sanitary point, the argument is decidedly
in. favor of its entire prohibition from al
pure water streams and should of itself
command the necessary legislation. The
necessity for longer close season
for salmon is apparent to all who have
knowledge of or experience in the
matter, and it should be admitted,
even by the men engaged in canning these
fish. The amendment ought to have been
passed by the last Legislature, as it was
recommended by the Commission in their
report two years ago. and the facts laid
before the members; but the men engaged
in canning salmon made o strong fight
against it and it was defeated | respect
these cannery owners and their rights,
but / respect the rights OF the peo-
pie of this State more, and I hope
the members of this Legislature do also,
and will show it when they vote on this
amendment. The fact is the owners of
salmon cahneries are pursuing course
that will, in a few years. if not prevented,
destroy their own occupation. In other
words, are killing the goose that laws the
golden egg The hundreds of nets
that are annually used by. the fishermen
are almost an absolute barrier to the pas
sage of salmon TO the upper waters, and at
the time when the run is largest, IL Au-
gust, their catch equals that of any Two
other months in the year. 1t is the Au-
gust run that, if allowed to, reaches the
headwatersj and deposit their ova
and those that are kept back until Septen-
Der are in the majority spent fish, or in no
condition to reach good spawning grounds.
above the sawdust, mining debris, etc
Therefore, they should have both August
and September in which to perform these
duties of nature and thus populate the
streams with their young However. think
| this Act should be further amended by
! striking out in line the words 'or shad -
in line 10, "shad orr This would leave
| the Act as originally passed aud apply to
salmon only. The amendment making it
| apply 10 shad was added several
years ago, when they were first
| put into the waters of this State.
and intended to entirely prevent catching
seven and one-half inch mesh is virtually
prohibition now, as marketable fish of that
species will easily pass through them. A
five-inch mesh is large enough fer shsG, as
three year old fish is mature enough
for market purposes, and will pass
| through a larger mesh. Then these
! fish deposit their roe in the spring,
April and May, and their young hatch out
in from four to six days, the young fry
immediately taking to the middle of the
stream and deep water for protection,
which habit is different from that of almost
all other kinds, who take to shallow
water, and thus expose themselves more
| Our waters are well stocked with these
! fish, and their rapid production and ec-
emulation leaves little doubt of an abun-
dant supply in future. The amendment in
bill No. 376, authorizing the Commits
sioners to determine what must be the
| size of mature fish, will give much
more protection to salmon, shad and
other food fishes. and if all these
amendments be added to the present
laws much good will result The fish in
dastry is of great Importance and should
receive more attention. The sale of fish
in the San Francisco markets equals that
/ of beef in weight. 1t is more health!u
| food than meat, and being cheaper should
be kept so by all the means possible and
necessary. Three fourths, or more, of all
canned fish are shipped out of the State,
thus depriving our citizens of so much sup
ply and raising the price.
It. ]. SHERWOOD.