The San Francisco call., 1898-04-19
KILLING BREEDING FISHES.
A. V. La Motte Is Strongly Opposed to the Capture of Steelheads
 bv AnGIerS.

Alfred V. La Motte. who has charge of the fish hatchery near Uhah IS un- questionably well versed in all piscatorlal affairs and his views on fish propagation are well worthy of consideration, but MT. La Motte in a communication to The Call, Is evidently not in line with the doings of the Fish Commission, otherwise he would possibly reprimand them TOT amalgamating with local midwlnter ilSh-
 ermen in the destruction Of breeding
 During the winter season of 1S97-1S9S the Fish Commissioners the chief or the fish patrol, and some of the deputies en-
 joyed great sport in Russian River in hooking playing and landing large steel heads which were on journey from the ocean to spawning beds. Several large Steelheads were taken and shipped to thl5 city.
 munication to The Call. is evidently or the opinion that the Fish Commissioners and their deputies would not dream or such thing as making bad precedent for the local angling fraternity. ,ru
 A little inquiry may, however, alter MT. La Mottes ideas of the question or Hsh slaughter by means of rod and line as missioners of this State. It has been fre- quently proven that where steelheads are plentiful single haul of a net Will land more fishes than are taken during sea- son by local anglers.
 MT. La Notes letter to The Call IS, however, self-explanatory:
 Editor The Call-Dear Sir: The importance of artificial propagation of trout IS becoming more and more apparent each year. The num-
 Der of fishermen is increasing so rapidly thaS nature fails to keep pace with the demand was estimated that there were in San Fran cisco 5000 people who were votaries of the sport; now it Is claimed that they exceed 10000. Now our waters do not increase, hence one of these things must be done-more nsh must be raised for the waters we have or fewer fishermen can indulge in their favorite pastime. The California Fish Commission IS
 taxed to the utmost of its appropriatlon to supply the needs of the most prominent waters, while other localities just as favorable are obliged to depend altogether on the natural product, which Is entirely inadequate IL iE true that more law-abiding sentiment is pre-
 vailing in many localities. At the same time many acts of lawlessness are tndulged in. Our indigenous trout (steelheads) ascend our streams with the winter and spring rains on their way to their spawning beds and large quantities are still butchered by the spear men, who follow them up relentlessly. Others take advantage of the law which permits their cap- ture in tide waters, no matter how heavily laden they may be with eggs, knowing full represents some 5000 fry destroyed, yet grum- bIe at the Fish Commission the following sum- mer because the fish in the streams are becom- goose that lays the golden egg and howl for more geese to destroy. The votaries of the rod spear men cry out against the law which al- lows city men, as they call them from killing the fish ft,t in sde whe he % Doth are wroBg
 If our trout Is a game fish and worthy Of conservation 1t should be protected wherever found during the spawning season. Other pseudonym sportsmen will locate themselves on the shallow rapids and with No. hooks 6iI baskets with fry not more than ffngerlings, and call it sport. Such people have not the in stincts of soortsmen in them and should he frowned down and their practice made odous.
 Ask such people to subscribe a few dollars toward the establishment of hatcheries. or the
 protection of our game or fish, and they pIv 'fWhy where Is the Fish Commission?" The editor of Recreation has properly named them fish and game hogs"
 ALFRED v. LA MOTTE.