The record-union., 1891-02-24

Woodbury., Superintendent of the State
Fish Hatcheries, said:
The Gamers claim that by closing the
| season at the end of August many fisher
men and others are thrown out of work.
but II they are to have their own way, it
Will only be short time when they will
have no work at ALL The salmon will he
depicted" He was willing to accede to the
canneries and fishermen the month of
September, but he would insist upon
August being the close season. He also
wanted the month of April included.
NECESSITY FOR THE CHANGE.
In the course of the interview Mr..
woodbury. said: ''The spawning time at
the Government hatchery on the McCloud
River for the great run of salmon in the
late summer and fall is principally
during the month of September. 1t
usually opens about the 2Sth of August
and continues until the latter part of Sep
tember.
The vital points of the question are :
AT what time should the closed season be-
gin ut the fishing grounds on the lower
Sacramento River, and how long should
1t last in order that enough breeding sal
mon from the great run during the months
OF August and September may reach the
United States hatchery on the McCloud
River, during the month of September.
to furnish sufficient eggs for the artificial
on the nursery grounds to maintain the
supply OF mature salmon for food. which
the rivers for nursery grounds and the
ocean for feed till the salmon are matured
are capable OF producing?
WHAT EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN.
Ten years ago, during the administra-
ton of b. B. Redding, S. r. Throckmor-
ton and j. D. Farwell as Fish Commits
sloners, as many as 14,0G0,0OO of salmon
eggs We're taken during the month of SEN
tember from the fall run of salmon. The
closed season at that time was during the
month of August. The closed season is
now, and has been for some years since.
during the month of September. The
Government hatchery on the McCloud
River renewed its operations in 1888. The
number of eggs taken in September. 1883.
was only about 100000; and in 1889. only
about l, 100, 900 eggs; or, averaging for the
Two years, less than one-tenth as MANY
eggs as were taken ten years ago. when
the closed season was during the month
of August. This is a loss of ninety Der
cent.
1T is of the utmost importance that the
closed season should be placed back
again to the month of August. If more
salmon do not reach the McCloud River
during the month of September than have
arrived there during the past two years.
serious consequences will happen to the
salmon industry Of California"
SOME MORE TESTIMONY.
Superintendent George B. Williams. OF
the McCloud River hatchery, in a recent
letter on this subject, declared that .sun-
less some action is taken by the LerisIa-
| ture and those interested in the propaga-
ton of salmon as food fish. to include
the month of August as well as that of
September in the close season, not many
years will elapse when this valuable food
flsh Will become almost extinct"
BACKING AND FILLING.
| The bill now before the Legislature. as
| first introduced, provided lin addition to
a closed season from March 18th to April
| l5th) that it should be unlawful to catch.
buy or sell salmon during the month OF
| August. Later ON it was amended. on
motion of Senator belong, so as to in
| cluGe the periods from the 18th of June to
the 18th OF August, and from August 18th
| to September lst.
When 1t was again reached on the
Senate file it was amended, on motion OF
| Mr.. Dray, so as to make the month OF
August the closed season, and ordered re-
| engrossed. The bill came up again on
| Wednesday last and was passed by the
Senate in this form, but Senator Camp
| bell of Solano gave notice of a motion to
reconsider, in the interest of the salmon
! canning companies at the mouth of the
Sacramento River.
IN a NUTSHELL.
The whole matter resolves itself into
these questions: Shall the Legislature
listen to the demands of the few canning
companies, or shall it be governed in its
action by a desire to subserve the in
terests of the people at large? Shall the
salmon be exterminated in few years