The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-04
THE GAME AND
FISH OF OREGON
Protector McGuire Makes His Bien-
nisI Report for the State.
CONCURRENT LEGISLATION
Washington ana oregon Equally In
tcrcsted In the Fishing Business Of
the Columbia.
CONCURRENT LEGISLATION

| tcrcHted IN the FISHING Buslness OF
the Columbia.
The biennial report Of II. y. Mcclure.
state fish and game protector of the
state ~ oregon for the years 1895 and
1896. was completed the End inst. and
copies have been forwarded 20. Governor
Lord. and 60 the state printer at Sa-
lem for publication. This, the fourth
annual report Of State Fish and Game
Protector Mcclure. besides being full
Of most interesting matter. relating 10
the great salmon industry. the second
n not the FIRST OF oregons greatest re-
sources and sources Of wealth. and kin
dred subjects. IL the most complete and
thorough rcport that he has ever Is
sued. II contains elaborate statistical
matter relating 20 the salmon Industry,
the data for which have been obtained
not without much trouble from every
fishery and cannery on the Columbia
river and coast streams and bays. It
will also be fully illustrated with half
tone cuts Of fish and game birds and
views OF the ClackRmas hatchery. show
ing the methods used In the artificial
propagation OF chinook salmon. The
Illustrations are a new feature OF the
fsh and game protectors report. and
make II doubly valuable and interest
Ing. and copies are already being be-
spoken. Altogether. Il Is the most elab-
ora,e report that has thus far been
gotten out since the creation OF the
once. Mr Mcclure having spent many
weeks in It's preparation. and its re-
liability In regard TO data and COM
pleieness viii make It credit TO the
state Of oregon.
The salmon industry OF the Columbia,
because Of It's great Importance. is Civ
en- much attention In the FISH and game
protector's repoFt. Professor MA.
wilcox. statistical agent Of the United
States fish commission, speaking OF this
industry. said.
"The fisheries OF the Columbia are
more extensive than those OF any
stream In the United States. and the
canning industry depending thereon is
more important than any other similar
business connected with the fisheries.
The annual output Of fish in the Column
bia Is greater than from any other river
in the country. and no other stream
has, in the aggregate. yielded such
large quantities OF fish,
Mr. Mcclure draws attention TO this
In a most emphatic way. mentioning
the fact that, in the past 80 years It has
provided the people OF Oregon with the
enormous suIn Of $4,000 900. and de-
clares that during the past year. not
wlthstanding the big strike that ex-
tended through a considerable portion
Of the spring. II proved oregon's sec
ond greatest resource. providing the
people OF that state with 1854, ,24O, ex-
elusive OF the north shore OF the Column
bla river The facts in connection with
the big strike. and the loss OF 100000
that II occasloned. are referred to by
Mr.. Mcclure at the beginning OF the
report.
Upon the subject OF concurrent legis-
lation Mr.. Mcclure strongly urges the
enactment OF joint laws at the coming
session OF the legislatures of Oregon
and Washington, for the protection Of
the fisheries Of the Columbia river, II
there Is to be effective enforcement OF
the laws Of either state for the protec-
tion OF these fisheries By recent de-
cision OF the United States court for
the district OF Oregon. the officials Of
neither state have jurisdiction for the
enforcement Of its Ash laws beyond the
middle OF the channel, except when the
laws are concurrent. In this oonnec-
ton he cites the experience with the
weekly close season law, prohibiting
fishing from o'clock p. m, Saturday
until o'clock p. m. Sunday, on the
Oregon statute books which he was
unable to enforce on the Washington
side OF the river, in the face of an ad-
verse decision. To enforce It, only upon
the Oregon side. Mr.. Mcclure held
would be an unjust discrimination
against Oregon fishermen, and he ad-
vises that Oregon should either repeal
It or Washington enact a, similar law.
The future prosperity OF the salmon
fishery Of the Columbia, says Mr., Nc
Gulre, depends largely upon artificial
and in this work he de-
clares oregon is largely behind Callfor-
MIA and Washington, Through artificial
the value of the California
fisheries now exceed those of this state,
and they are steadily increasing, Cal
lfornla last year made an appropriation
Of $4,000 for fish cultural work; Oregon
$500. Washington, says the fish and
game protector has awakened to the
Importance of artificial propagation. |
and several years ago enacted a law
levylng a tax upon fishing gear, from
which the state has accumulated a
fund Of $4,000, with which two hatch
cries have been built, and are now be-
Ing operated under state supervision.
The output of these hatcherles for this !
year is estimated at 1O,OOO,0OO fry, In
this connection, Mr.. Mcclure recon-
mends that the Clackamas, admittedly
the greatest spawning stream for Chi