The morning call., 1891-01-08
FISH AND GAME.
Biennial Report of the Commits.
siOners.
Surgeons Are on the Decrease-The sea-Lion
Destructive Of Fishing Interests-Gams
Birds Imported-Killing of Deer
The biennial report of~the State Board of

Fish Commissioners has been published
In it are made the following declarations:
The spring run Of salmon for 1889 was fair a
was also that of 1890. The fall run of 1SS
showed imp ovement over that of the previou
years. ] he supply Of shad continues TO be large
Carp Is found IN large quantities IN all the wa
ieIs OF lie Stale; they are not desirable foot
FISH. Sturgeon continues to diminish every wear
owing 10 the lndscriT mate slaughter waget
upon them by Chinese fishermen. Special efforts
have been made to stock The rivers and lake!
with The various species OF trout
III these efforts we have been quite success
ful, as evidenced by the establishment OF many
at finding them abundant in teams TO which
they had for years been strangers. This will an
intendeni Of Balcheries. Black bass have beer
disiribuled in different places throughout the
STATE. The increase of this fish at Crysta
Springs, san Mateo County. has been rapid and
IS The source from which our supply has been
obtained. Catfish have developed into popular
favor, and are plentiful in most OF the waters OF
The State.
1t would seem strange that the Commits.
siOners, who are popularity supposed to have
some knowledge Of game and fish, should
have imported carp ana distributed them il
the waters Of this State, when they are rec
ognized as undesirable food fish.
SURGEONS DIMINISHING YEARLY.
Speaking of surgeons. the report says
that owing to the ndiscriminate slaughter
waged upon them by Chinese fishermen they
continue TO diminish yearly. The mean:
adopted by Chinese for catching these fish
whose other enemies are net fishermen and
the Sea-hOnS, are also very destructive Il
the salmon, and it is safe TO say that NOR,
of the latter are caught and manned By
what is termed sturgeon hooks than b,
the Chinese or the net fishermen or the sea
lions in the bay"
Chinese fishermen make it a practice t
e FafP limo fItra Isar ant
of rivers, to which are attached numbers 0
large hooks. The salmon as they aSeen,
from the bay strike against these deadl!
lures which arc placed for their capture
and those that are fortunate to break away
IN their struggles carry the marks of fht
miniature gatfS on their sides and bodies
The Chinese escape punishment for thi.
system of catching fish under the pretenSt
that they are fishing for sturgeon. Suct
lines can be seen at any time stretched il
San Pablo Bay, near the mouth of Sonoma
Creek.
THE sALMoN's ENEMY.
As regards sea-lions the report declare
that these animals are a serious detrmen
TO the fish interests of the State, an,
especially to salmon. None can doubt bu
that they destroy large numbers of salmon
but the decrease in the salmon family can
not be altogether attributed to their ravages
When Sea-lloDS were much more plentiful
in the bay-that is before the Chinese and
Italian fishermen had begun to wet theil
nets-salmon were prolific, and there wa:
not dissenting voice against the "roya
guards" which delight to bask on the rock:
at the entrance to the harbOr.
1t seems that the salmon family is an
nually on the decrease and it is rather ar
act OF injustice to the sea-licn to attribute tt
him solely the blame, which should be
placed upon the shoulders of Chinese anG
Italian fishermen, who use no discrimiua
ton In the catching of fish when they can d.
so with impunity.
IMPORTED GAME BIRDS.
The $1,000 appropriated for the purchase
and importation of game birds proved al
expenditure of money which could hav,
been devoted more probably to fish anC
game interests. The Commissioners secured
out of this fund forty pairs of Monaghan
pheasants from Oregon at SIS per pair and
these were, according 10 report, distributed
In the game preserves.
About 1900 Chinese quail-a useless bird
were also purchased in the Mongoliar
quarters of this city at the cost of $50 pei
hundred, according to the report. These in
significant creatures were also, in the major
part, consigned 10 lands which are under
preserve.
The Chinese quail roost on the ground,
and sportsmen who are acquainted with
their habits do not hesitate to say that they
will soon be exterminated. The game birds
that would, in all probability, flourish in this
State are the Bob White and Oregon grouse
The wild turkey would be failure.
RECOMMENDATIONS URGED.
A steam launch fitted for the purpose Of
hunting down the transgressors OF the fish
laws Is urged as very necessary. The Gov
ernor St0neman was useless and expen
sive craft, which was of no value to tn,
Commissioners because too cumbersome fo
the purpose intended
The Commissioners recommend that tn,
killing Of deer be prohibited absolutely fo
the next two years; also the having in pos
session the skin of any deer for the same
time. This is not bad suggestion.