The morning call., 1891-03-10
UNPROTECTED FISH.
The "King of Food Fishes"
Being Decimated.
Assailed With Drag-Nets, Dynamite, Car
tridges and Spears ndiscriminately
Slaughtered Out of Season.

AS general thing game birds In this
State have a reasonable amount of protec-
ton during the close season, but an alto
gether different state of affairs exists in the
way of fish protection.
The salmon, which is counted upop rs
being the king of food fishes, is annually
becoming less numerous and there seems
to be no attempt on the part of the major
class of sportsmen and lawmakers to pre-
serve this valuable fish from the attacks of
its enemies, the greatest of which is man.
Netting, speariug and angling during a
season which is purposely set apart to give
tue fish an opportunity to spawn in their
natural beds Is carried on to an enormous
extent on this Coast and as a consequence
the present warfare that is being waged
upon the salmon must be felt by the poorer
classes of people, who will be obliged to pay
eXorhitant prices few years hence for an
article of food that, had it been protected,
could be purchased at a nominal figure.
TO PROTECT THE FISH.
On the Sacramento River the net-fsher-
men feel very much ehagrined because a
bill has been introduced in the Legislature
which, if passed, Will give the fish during
certain prescribed months of the year an
opportunity of ascending to the headwaterS
OF the river, where they spawn on the riff
fies and then return to the sea as spent fish.
There are some authorities who contend
that the salmon after spawning never
reaches the salt waters. This is true in
some instances where rivers extend many
hundreds OF miles, but on this Coast the
generally accepted theory is that the spent
fish, barring accidents, get back TO their
natural element.
In the small rivers or glens the run of
salmon are small in size compared with
those which journey up the Sacramento
during the spring and fall months of the
year. Annually their numbers are becom-
ing very apparently less, and this is en-
tirely owing to the indiscriminate slaughter
OF them by certain classes Of men.
DRAG-NETs.
in the early winter months, as the fish are
about to leave the bays for their breeding
grounds, the fishermen with drag-nets
assail them; the angler then has his turn at
them when they enter the brackish waters,
out withal the most destructive enemy OF
the salmon is the man who handles the
spear and giant powder cartridge. he not
only kills the fish that lay the golden
eggs" but destroys, when tramping the
streams, the egg beds which have been de-
posted by the fish that assembled and de-
scended with the ireshets.
As an Illustration party of anglers who
fiShed on Paper Mill Creek last Sunday, be-
tween TockalOma and TaylOrsville, met four
Italians and three Chinese who were fishing
for salmon with spears and neither of the
law-breakerS could understand one of the
sportsmen when he informed them that their
system of fishing was unlawful.
AN INACTIVE SHERIFF.
A Deputy Sheriff who resides in the vi
cinity said that it would be only waste of
tune aud expense to arrest them, as a jury
could not be found in the county that wOuid
consider the offenSe one Of sufficient crawl
ty to adjGdge them guilty of what was an
unlawful proceeding. However the fish
in Paper Mill Greek are annually be-
coming fewer in numbers, and it will not be
many years hence when salmon or any of
its species will be looked upon as rara
avis in that beautiful stream.
ADAY'S SPORT.
The Santa Rosa Republican Of March 7th
says;
j. A. Doubleday and r. y. Pye armed them
selves with shUtRuns, pistols. pichforks pfEes
euilaSses and 0ludgeOnS and Went out salmon
nshing Friday afternoon. Alter laundering
around In the swamps and bnttoms, deep and
dark. they returned to their homes, and upon
that II had cost;
fdlielce. All
vigorous English .......--........ Much
NlVtneS Two SUITS
Regulations 2
Regulations for
Tie receipts read like romance and are:
Experience. very much
sore a
FISH