The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-23
MNlfaFs n Eeang trY ngF geaE Fhla

al llLlCIeIlCS VI oulilSAOilb Capacity oliu uh-
der good management they can be re-
stored in their former abundance.
The output Of from four to five mill
ions of young fish for the past dozen
years has been the experiment.. Now
let us have the replenishing of the river
begun in earnest by the immediate es-
tabllshment Of a hatchery or h~atcheries
Of a capacity Of a hundred million
young fry per year, nothing less, and
this, with such regulations as may be
found advisable to make in regard to
the taking and protection of the salmon,
and | can already see in less than Il
dozen years in the future a supply of
u own Royal Chinook, so abundant in
the water in front Of our city, as l saw
there a dozen years ago, and once con-
summated, it would not only be q
triumph Of science, but a triumph for
the homes of our people.
Second, perhaps by the establishing
for packing purposes of a fishing zone
one limit to this zone to be the cessation
OF taking fish Immediately at the en-
trance of bhe river, and the other limit
to be the cessation after passing the up
permost limits of tidewater-that is, to
place no hindrance to the salmon enter
ing the river, and then to confine the
catching to the limits of tidewater, so
that after it is once fortunate enough
10 pass the limits of tidewater, it will
meet with no further chances Of being
taken between that fishing zone and its
spawning grounds. There car be no
doubt that by the establishment of such
a packing zone the fish would be much
protected, if this could be done without
interfering with the rights Of the peo-
pie.
third, q more contracted closed sea-
son, doing ava with the month OF
April as an open fishing month,
Fourth, as TO the manner of taking
the salmon. Packers do not agree as to
this, nor do the men who catch the fish,
and localities also on the river differ in
their views. Every conceivable gear for
the taking OF salmon is now in use on
the Columbia river-the drift net, the
drag net Cor seine), man kinds Of sta
tionary traps, wheels, gear Of small
mesh and nets of large mesh.
Tie question, as to whether or not,
the use of the traps, drag seines, fish
wheels n all small mesh gear, which
catches small salmon, should be pro-
hihitad on fhig 1ipa1, i- u copinI1- ana
and has a very large following of ad-
vocates amongs the packers, as well as
those gill net fishermen who drift the
river channels with nets of not less
others equally so well informed advo-
cate the use of all these mentioned gear
under certain and various regulations.
Oar people quite generally cry out
it is a fact that the largest share of the
fish taken by these wheels are blue
backs and steelheads-ish hat pass
through the large mesh gear used at the
mouth of the river-yet they take very
many small salmon, and it is claimed
that by so doing they are instruments of
destruction to the industry. And again,
being located from 120 to 200 miles up
he river, where the stream is contract
ed, they clean the water of the few l
spawning Chinook, which have avoided l
he lower river meshes or have been al Z
to pass the lower river during the
Sunday fishing. And also that
the packing Of such chinook salmon is
an injury to h market since these fish &
when taken by the wheels have deterior- /
ated very much, having during their {
.ong journey up-river lost their proper +
color, fairness and flavor. s
All these questions are of the utmost I
Importance to our city, and should be !
up and investigated thoroughly. {
They should be studied by the best S
minds in our country, men l
who have no interest to bias their con-
This should be done now =
Turing the season, while the fishing is
going on, SO that the workings of all
of gear and the catching or S
Of all sizes Of salmon may be t
inquired into and continued until con u
are arrived at and recomrnen- {
lations as to regulations made. s
Let us present this matter in all SER !
business and earnestly to the United 7
states fish commission, for action and c
o the representatives and senators of s
he two states in Washington and en- l
in the good work the united efforts
# our people. =
Such regulations for the protection \
# the salmon as may be recommended
" the fish commission after thorough II
n-vestigations should be enacted into j
avs, and If congress is the proper place, q
hen 1 think it will become our duty to y
lrge such legislation there with all our A
influence. But if it be found not within n
he province of congress to enact such :,
avs, then we will have The recommen- y
Of a high authority to send to c;
he legislature of the states Of Oregon Il
nd Washington, that we may urge q
With much more reason for success the Ii
nactment, by both Of these bodies Of II
laws in accordance Herewith. .
These, gentlemen of the council, are n
questions of the public welfare, perth a.
tent for your consideration and L know "
90 that o can do so intelligently. q,
ONE of you gentlemen occupying places ei
n this council nave been engaged in 81
he salmon industry from early man. g .