The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-12-15
THE STATE FISH LAWS
Need Revision.-PoIIution Of Water Fatal.

| The State Fish Commission in its
annual repo', says that the fish laws
as they exist are defective and hind
rance to the propagation of fish that
they ought TO protect. Radical
changes will be urged, among them
one torbidding the taking of black bass
six inches long and brook trout five
inches long. 1t is claimed that fish
of these sizes do not spawn and that
their killing depletes the streams.
Artificial propagation of trout alone
has prevented the wiping out of brook
trout In this State.
| Pennsylvania is the only State un-
dertaking fish culture which permits a
hve-inch trout to be taken and legally
killed. No other State paying atten-
tion to this kind of work allows less
than six-inch limit and some make it
seven and even eight inches. The
commission has requested Governor
Hastings to urge the next Legislature
to enact at least six-inch limit of
size for the legal killing of any species
of trout and that the law making the
minimum size six inches at which black
bass may be killed ought to be raised
to nine.
The commissioners believe the
whole fish warden system should be
changed and advocate the appoint
ment of a specified number of ward
ems at salary that will be sufficient
for the State 10 demand their whole
time. The commission takes the
ground that there should be power to
send or locate warden to or in any
part of the State where it may be felt
his services would be the most useful;
that there should be chief warden to
take charge of and see that the men
perform their duty and who should
have power Of a decided character over
the special wardens.
POLLUTION OF STREAMS.
The commission has received
large number of complaints the past
twelve months from all parts of the
State against persons who are empty
ing acids and other refuse from indus
trial establishments into streams to an
extent that destroys the fish life. A
letter was addressed to Attorney Cen
eral Mccormick recently by the CON-
mission asking for an opinion whether
there was any law by which that body
could proceed against those who pol
luted stream. He replied that there
was no remedy where the pollution
was destructive to fish only.
The commission has tried it almost
every session of the Legislature to
have law passed that would prevent
the pollution OF streams, but the diff
Guilty of framing an act that would not
work serious injury to other vested in
terests has prevented passage. A bill
is being prepared by the commission
that it is thought will meet the ap-
proval of the Legislature and which at
the same time will not interfere seri,
Ouoly Will NdlldDlC lllQuStIlGS Ol GltllGT
individuals or corporations. The COM
missioners declare that the evil has
reached such point that some decis,
i've step must be taken, and appeals
to the vested interests to assist in the
work OF purifying the water supply.
The last Legislature neglected to
make an appropriation to the commits
sion, and its work during the past two
years has been carried on by private
subscription from fishing clubs and in
dlvlduals. The commission is in debt
to its employees and others having
business with it, and will ask the next
Legislature to increase the annual ap-
preparation of $40, 900 to pay lis bills
and reimburse the parties who have
advanced money to keep its work in
operation since the close of the last
session.