The San Francisco call., 1897-12-14
KILLING Fish
BY THOUSANDS
How Fishermen HoodWink
the Deputy Commis-
SiOners.
steelheads Are Being Caught
in Russian River With
Set Nets.
Several Boxes of Fish We're Shipped
to This City Last
Week.

The attention OF the Fish Comm ission-
ers has been called to the fact that the
fishermen who are at present catching
large quantities OF steelhead trout in Rus
sian River aud shipping them in boxes TO
thif city are transgressing the law, which
read: THAT every person who shall
cast, extend or set any seine or net OF any
kind for the catching of any fish in any
river, stream or slough of this State
which shall extend more than one-third
across The width of said river, stream or
slough shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and every net shall be considered a set
net that is secured IN any way and not
free TO drift with the current or tide, etc"
The fishermen who are at present catch
ing steelheads in the Russian River are,
in the first place, using nets the meshes
of which are smaller than the law allows,
and in the second place their nets do not
drift, bu: are fastened in such a manner
that it Is impossible for a fish that Will
weigh more than three pounds to escape
capture.
Last Tuesday nine boxes of fish were
shipped from Duncans Mills 10 this city,
and on Friday asst sixteen boxes of steel
heads arrived fiom the Sa ne town. The
| fish were solo by the fish merchants of
| this city for 10 cents per pounG, and it is
said that the men who caught them re-
! c ived in return only 4 cents per pound.
At this rate the fishermen must catch an
| enormous amount o! steelheads to COM
! pensate Them for their time and labor.
| The steelhead which ascends the
! Russian River at this season of the year
works It's passage-that is when free from
| caplure-to the headwaters OF the river
or enters the several streams that empty
| into he river for the purpose of prOpagat-
| lng lis species, thus affOrdlng anglers who
| visit the various towns along the river
during the summer season excellent
| sport.
| The capture of the parent fishes means
| nothing less than the depletion OF the
| streams OF its tinny inhabitants. 1t can
! hardly be expected that anglers who spend
many dollars during the angling season
! IN the towns that are within easy reach
! OF good trout streams Will care to visit
| creeks and rivers that 60 not contain
game fishes.
The Fish Commissioners are busily en-
gagged stocking coast waters with the fry
! Of steel-headed trout, which when large
enough 10 guard against the attacks of
! predatory fishes descend the river until
| they reach their natural home, which is
| the salt water.
| in The early part of the present year the
! commission stocked the Russian River
| Win several tnOu>anQ salmon Try. 1t Is
| quite posi- bic that these youngsters when
| nf good size will return 10 the river in
which they were planted. If so they
| will share the fate of the steelheads I'M
| less the law Is enforced.
Several nets captured on the Russian
| River by Deputy Commissioners were con-
| hscated last season, and, strange TO say,
| the owners of them never made an at
| tempt by law or otherwise 10 have them
returned. New nets are now III use on
! the river, and unless the Commissioners
are too busily engaged in hatchery work
q deputy may possibly be ordered TO Dun
cans Mills with instructions to seize all
nets that are being unlawfully used for
the capture of steelheads.
1t is hard To capture the transgressors
OF the law, as they station guards on the
banks of The river during netting time
and when they see or hear danger ap-
proaching a shotgun is fired and this Is q
signal TO the poachefs 10 decamp.
The Paper-mili Greek is also being de-
pleted OF its large ii hes by poachers VINO
rave been using spears. Last week, that
is Immediately after the first freshet, five
steelheads were killed by men VINO
Doasled of their fea last Sunday at Point
Reyes in the presence of large number
OF anglers.