The morning call., 1893-11-14
SALMON AND NETS
Rivers That Were Being
Fished Out.
What Commissioners and Sportsmen
Are Now Doing to Protect
Streams and Rivers.

The Fish Commissioners and the Super
visors of some of the near coast counties
have been doing good work recently in
the matter of preservation OF trout and
salmon.
Up to within few years ago no atten-
ton was paid to protecting salmon and
trout from indiscriminate slaughter. The
result was that the run of salmon in the
large rivers became alarmingly small. Net
fishermen fished at all seasons of the year,
and tor time the canneres were running
full blast and tons of canned salmon were
sent to Eastern and foreign markets.
This state of affairs could not, of course,
last very long, as the supply of fish could
not meet the demand of the canneries :;
therefore some of the small canneries had
to shut down and give up business which
was netting them very small profit be-
cause of the low prices they were receiv-
ing for canned salmon.
In the mean time the river was being
rapidly depleted of its fish, and many of
the fishermen to make living had to re-
salts whose occupation was deep-sea fish,
ing.
The Fish Commissioners now in Office
made complete change in the old order
of affairs They compelled the fishermen
on the Sacramento River to obey the law.
| which was very trying on the latter as
they had not been accustomed to arrest
heretofore for illegal fishing.
After several arrests had been made the
fishermen concluded that the cheaper wav
would be the observing OF the law, which
gave che salmon an opportunity OF ascend
ing the river and reaching the spawning
beds.
The Commissioners are in hopes that in
few years, with the continuous stocking
of the river from the hatcheries and the
protection of the fish, the run of salmon
in the spring and fall of the year will be
equal to that of twenty years ago. At the
present time salmon sold in the local mar
kets is almost as dear as meat.
In consequence of the continual capture
of trout the coast streams are almost
worthless so far as angling is concerned
The sportsmen of Sana Cruz County have
begun to realize this fact and petition
will be presented to the Supervisors at
their next meeting requesting the extend
ing of the open season from November
to January 1. The last clause of the petit
tion says:
"By cbangin the close season from Jan
uary to June we are satisfied that at
least two causes of the rapid destruction
of our trout would be stopped"
The last clause is certainly good one,
as any angler who has had experience in
trOut-fishing in coast streams will not dis
pute the fact that trout caught in April
are fiabby and in no condition for table
use. besides they are then spawning and
will greediiy dov0ur worm or any temp t.
ing morsel presented to them. Sportsmen
OF other coast counties should emulate
their brother anglers and have the Super
visors pass law of a same nature.
An ordinance for the protection of fish
N 10 W. troo of Hun holI ~
County was recently PASSED by the Super
visors of Humboldt. A few excellent
measures, if only carried out by the PROF. per
authorities. will stop the everlasting
slaughter of salmon and trout in the
rivers and streams of Hum boldt County