The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-02
q h FISHING LAHs.
-. .rcoHMESDATIoSs MADE NJ
<nnnIssrOxER LITTLE


.. Law C0ald he MaAe.
r.~r.,ee, 20 the Post-InteEilgeneer.
es.s.sr Ian. i.--Among tne more I'm
- '<sasares q his biennial report Fish
s..-ss..gr yafgie makes acme interest
kp..-.uuesadari0ssa az TO reS iaSs nesc-
a ss.,esgr tbs fishing Industry On la-s
100 be Eys:
Pound Nets.
:. .,s erat r.osnts under this head
ssal .a0fs II tbs fact ftlat the
sax DOES not define pound nsfS
.s.- ~ enc diffsrsat pound nets operated
~ cate have what ia usually termed
- having leads and double pounds.
y Ss,fs.s sf,stegz OF heats. TITS has
- considerable dsssens2an during she
~s~soa bat tne uncertainty o. t4ae Ia "
-. - "a IT, matter nas EGt aliose 30 US
i sssr fsse. We are OF tne opinion s.iat y
~~sfSm Of pound nets - 10 he allowed
e~r,err az double fee Ter tae
-. = Cerfeetly 3uatiiied By tne returns.
In .lsxsss that The la IS be made To colsorrn
z - ksa- =. Vets.
-. Asflnsssos of TIM term set net mas
- - Il, aoabt, end this. too. should Dss
.~f - thai there can be no misundex-
s.zsS1ne az 10 the fuli intent OF the law.
~ Instances parties no.aing socatsofss
S~sn ghxch they exfszci 20 erect ssoua1 ssslh
1888 later day are holding the location
~ nra<ert time with set Ret license.
q ~ eay be caught with q set net not On
s-se15s1sa az this character, afi3 Il Is simply
~ ssexrs OF eyasing the Intent Of the ia..
sSxsa a our Judgment expects the pay
- d the pound net fee Tor locations Of
- shsrac.er.
- law is also uncertain as 10 whether
q - as6ziexsIon tsst natl can BE- used In the
TGaIede stftams tributary 10 Puget sound
H. n. r1a<
%rf r fully - per cent. Of the latter num-
~ RI 4hie class of gear Is used In the
ss~r1sna IL this state. There has been GOA
G1Sn3e trouble In the Puget sound and
0s~sn harbor Districts between fishermen
3 - - net locations the iaw not defining
- nenner IN waich a location might De
r0 We advise IN this connection that
fSGl1nahdus the state hsst net be allowed
RI ~ Of space, or. In otner words, no tao
Ef1)sos Of tins character shall be closer
- - feet and also provide for the mark
RI IL The location. We asso consider 4
61yi1ah1e that these nets. or for that mat
RI ans class Of gear th not allowed to
nnnd more than uar-tbird OF the width OF
- AVER or stream. These regulations We
~ found will be very satisfactory TO a
m pQrfson OF tsits class OF fishermen, set
fzsr endless Disputes. The license fee, also,
- this class Of gear hardly warrants tha
o0i1llSt 81 expense required for the eoiiec-
HI x the same, and We believe IL Will he
m1fAcsory 10 the fishermen using these
- Il the license fee Is considerably raised,
rpvtted their locations may be marked,
~ tbs A~ also provides that their loca-
nsa y not eneroached upon by other tish-
ausA
S~inea.
The law tn reference to drag seinss
6aaiA also be rerneited so that 4 person
s&ksng OUT seine license OF this charac-
~ 1hlas. be able 20 make ard hold per-
Ae ssning grounds under the license.
Considerable trouble has arisen IN different
rans OF the state in this matter Persons
hotding valuable seis1ing grounds, and pay
~ tssir license fees iaefsfor, have been
ssx1nehsa upon hy parties driving loca-
sleos for fixed appliances thereon. and ex-
s'Hstnx them frsgzn the grounds The law
sAu1d Also provide ffft ordinary drag
etAhes might he used within one mile Of
the mouths u the STRAINS on Puget sound
nd GYays harbor.
Closed Seasons.
The law covering the closed seasons OF
sse state should also be modified IN a num-
~ q respects. In our Judgment the ear
y close season on the Columbia river
lc1d ne extended 10 the lat Of May, and
ne open season for fishing should he ex-
tended few DAYS. at least longer than
~ presen, law allows. On the Sound the
fSpnd sxaen1 governing the rivers should
9 extended to the entire season as only
ihS manner shall ee De able TO get a
a&eseni supply Of fish al tho different
Asthery stations.
Gtostag streams
II s absolutely necessary for the sue
- o. our scheme of artificial praI,aE-ss-
swe mat the different streams on which
n4fnefGes are located should gse In many
nsssnfs.s entirely closed against all forms
Hsans, with the exception of red and
m Tn those that are closed en-
weiy Is stated above the comm sSsion.r
eAaaia lisa discretion when - have the
Hsh st1son closed IN order that he may
laenhy control the supply Of fish that
shVsc ascend the streams 10 the hatchery
Eaton In fact. our experienced has pgover,
= necessity Of This discretion with regard
81 81 The streams Of the state In many
g saese streams certain season fishing
49, ue showed. with no Particular dctr-
49, se the Industry. Again. there are
.ssehs e"iaS to the scarcity syf fish when
nses Should he absolutely closed against
- inf'n Of fishing. II IL absolutely necsss-
- " any efeht thai the above RECON-
800 isofsr shall apply 60 tho streams on
- 49, aatehery stations have been and are
y y essabliehsd
License Fees.
!asre are naany points thar are wrong
tnr present. Iaw with regard 70 the H.
- Nes pad by the different classes Of
- men. These fees should I've Ia setG az
ss1ss,a az s0sslale oa the catch. and on the
49, 70 ray TIE H&fne In every instance
s.sss injustice done % many OF the fish
Many q pound nets OF Raker's
~ Aase very poor returns for tha cast Of
,s.seasn and maintenance We aavlS.
-. we Tees For the dtnernnt classes az
<.sl y stated above BE- based on ;he
Sxs ~, and on The value ~ the oufnut.
- 80 are branches Of the Industry that
~ pay no fees. These should he brought
49, 49, sae system arb compelled 10 hear
49, pesa0n Of this burden \ very small
w ~ branches cf the Industry prop
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