The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-06
THE STEELHEAD QUESTION,
The Public May Be Deprived
of a Valuable Food
Fish.
A Protective Game Law That the
Next Legislature May Have
to Change.

The controversy over the question as to
whether the steelhead belongs to the sal
mon or trout family is still agitating a
large number of people in this City and
the northern part of the State. Those in
this City who are mainly interested are the
fish-dealers and the Fish Commissioners.
Those in the north, where the majority of
the fish of this variety is taken, are the
fishermen who make living by catching
and selling them.
A few days ago Deputy Fish Commits
sioner Babcock informed the local fish
dealers that under the law passed by the
last Legislature it would be unlawful to
buy or sell the steelhead trout or even
handle it, unless it was caught in tide
water with hook and line. This was a
blow to all interested i'll the business, be-
cause during the run between Decem Der
and April over 100000 pounds of STEEL
heads are sold in this State. The position
taken by the Commissioners was based
upon the law relating to trout and the de-
cision OF DR.. David Starr Jordan, who
maintains that the steelhead is trout.
The law upon the subject is very clear, and
reads:
632. Every person who, in the State of Cali
d, T.,
except with hook and line, is guilty OF mis-
demeAnor.
633. Every person who takes, catches or kills
or exposes for sale or has in his possession any
speckled trout, brook or salmon trout or any
variety of trout between the first day OF No
vember and the first day of April in the follow
ing year, is guilty OF misdemeanor; provided;
however, that steelhead trout may be possessed
at any time, when taken with rod and line in
tidewater.
The hsh-dealers at once announced that
they would contest the question in the
courts. saying that DR.. Jordan was wrong
and that the steelhead is one of the yarie-
ties of salmon. The matter has already
reached the courts in Humboldt County
and resulted in the acquittal of the fisher
men who were arrested by one of the Fish
Commission deputies.
District Attorney l.. NJ. Burnell of that
county wrote to Mr.. Babcock, stating that
he was unable to produce any evidence at
the trial to prove that the steelhead is a
trout, while the defense brought testimony
to prove that it IS one of the salmon fam
lily. Among the latter witnesses was DR..
Michel an ardent sportsman, who is well
informed upon piscatorial matters. I'm
less the Commissioners can send up several
witnesses who are authorities upon this
matter he will not be able TO do anything
to enforce the law in this county.
The report of DR.. Jordan claims that the
steelneau 10, "iIHout queelloh, Ilout. he
says:
Comparing the steelheads with the rainbow
trout find no difference other than that the
former is of much larger size and has larger
mouth, and its caudal fin is square at tip in
stead of forked. But the toll becomes less
forked and the mouth larger with age in all
species of salmon and trout. If rainbow
trout were TO reach the size of the steelhead it
ought TO acquire characters similar to those of
the latter species. II is not at all unlikely
that the steelhead is simply a rainbow trout
which has descended into the sea and which
has grown larger and coarser and acquired
somewhat different form and habits on ac-
count of its food and its surroundings. If this