The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-06
REPORT OF THE FISH COMMITS
SIONER.


The biennial report of the state fish COM
missioner contains good deal of interesting
matter in addition to what has appeared IL
the summary heretofore printed. The as
tonishing statements regarding the COMPARE
tive food productiveness of an acre of water
and an acre of land have already been
printed i'll the Journal Besides showing the
value of our state fisheries from a CONNER
cial, sanitary and food-supply point of view
the report contains number of interesting
special articles concerning about twenty
different varieties of fishes found in Indiana
waters illustrated in such a way as to give
them practical value. The papers descriD-
tive of the different lakes of Indiana, with
photographic surveys and habitats Of differ
ent fishes, have special interest. Concerning
the work done toward protecting and pre-
serving fish and enforcing the law the COM
missioner says:
| have only held the Office for twenty-one
months, and as it took some time to or
game the State in harmony with the new
laws | have only to report for eighteen
months active operation. During that period
my deputies nave captured IA, 440 feet ct
SENS, three fish traps and twenty-five hoop
nets. They have made pa convictions for
violating the fish laws, and have turned over
to the State $2,239.96. Thus the fees paid
into the state treasury have more than
doubled the whole appropriation for enforc-
ing the laws. L have induced eighteen mill
owners to put IN fish ladders. l say induced,
because as the law now stands it is impos-
sfble to compel them to do so.
Considering the extent of territory to be
covered, the small appropriation for carry
ing the law into effect and the defects of
loo lon tcoIP
exceedingly well. The result has been to
place Indiana among the foremost States
for convictions and returns of money into
the state treasury under the fish law, al
though several other States make much
larger appropriations for the enforcement
of their laws. One of the best results of the
commissioners efforts, aided by his local
deputies, to whom anglers owe a debt of
gratitude, has been to create a moral senti-
ment in favor of fish protection and fish Gull
ture, which is already demanding more eff
ficient legislation on the subject The
commissioner recommends some material
changes in the fish law and also more
liberal appropriation for carrying the law
into effect. The reasonableness of this rec
OiAlAllS4iucllOu - GlllOICeu DS IIlC IdCC IHdL
the national government annually spends a
large amount of money in the propagation
and distribution of fishes, and many States
supplement the work with appropriations
vastly larger than the commissioner asks
for Maine spends SIS 900 q year in the
work, Massachusetts $4,000. New York
$154,OOO, Pennsylvania $4,000. Michigan $4,000,
Illinois $4,000 Wisconsin SIC, OG0 Indiana less
than $1,000 Yet Indiana was originally one
of the best fresh-water fish States in the
Union, and no other State offers better
field for the protection and culture of fish
or a promise Of larger results for the out
lay attending it. A Stete whose streams
were the original habitat of the black bass,
than which finer game fish swims, but
which is in danger of being eXtermnated,
and which has nearly twenty other varieties
of food fishes, ought not to be behind other
States in protecting one of it's natural re-
sources so important as a food product and
so conducive to the pleasure and comfort
of its people