The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-08
DISTRICT GAME LAWS
Favorable Action Recommended on
the Senate Bills.
The Report of the Commissioners
Subntitted-The Proposition to step
the Illegal Killing and Sale of
the Natural Species a Spawning
Ground in the Potomac River Basin

( The District Commissioners yesterday
! recommended favorable action on Senate
/ bill 315S. providing for the protection of
birds the preservation of game, and for
the prevention Of its sale during the closed
seasons III the District Of Columbia.
After suggesting a few minor amend
ments TO the measure. the Commissioners
say in their letter transmitting the bill to
the Senate Committee on the District of
Columbia that the enactment Of the meas
ure is earnestly recommended by the Fish
and Game Protective Association Of the
District Of Columbia. composed Of over 200
reputable citizens Of the District and also
by the Audubon Society. which has a mem
bership Of several hundred
The changes recommended. say the Com
missioners, are in the nature of a conces-
sion in order to obviate opposition to the
more important amendments intended to
secure penalties. such as exist generally
throughout the country. and which, it Is
believed. VIII effectually prevent the Illegal
killing and selling OF birds which are fast
depicting their numbers in many localities.
Another desirable modification of the
bill, in the opinion Of the Commissioners,
is removing the restriction which prohib-
tied the shooting Of reed birds on certain
days of the week as il has been found by
experience that its enforcement is not prac-
ticable. The city of Washington has been
for many years the market for thousands
Of birds Illegally taken in other sections of
the country and brought here for sale after
the seasons had closed in the Western and
Southern States. To this traffic the Com
missioners believe the proposed law would
effectually and promptly put a stop.
The Commissioners have also recon-
mended favorable action on the bill pro-
viding for the protection Of fish in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, for the maintenance OF
a permanent spawning ground in the Po-
tomac River in said District, and for other
purposes.
Section of the bill the Commi ssioners
ask to have amended to read: That no
person shall catch or kill in the waters OF
the Potomac River or its tributaries, with
in the District of Columbia any black bass
otherwise known as green bass or chUb),
crappIe otherwise known as calico bass o.
strawberry hassl, between the 1st day Of
April and June l of each year. nor have
in his possession nor expose for sale any
of said species between the dates sfore
said, nor catch nor kill any Of said species
of fish at any other time during the year
except by angling, nor catch nor kill any
Of the aforesaid species by what are known
as outlines or trot lines. having a series Of
hooks or devices"
In their letter Of transmittal of this bill
the Commissioners observe that it has e
approval Of the Game and Fish Protective
Association. and Of the Commissioner OF
Fish and Fisheries, and that its enactment
is necessary to maintain the por ion Of the |
basin Of the Potomac River within the |
District as a spawning ground. As a result /
of the existing laws on the subject they /
say the game fish in the river have in /
creased In numbers 10 such an extent as to +
make their Illegal taking by means Of
seines profitable, Notwithstanding the PEN |
alties provided by law. In some cases
hundreds Of pounds Of these FISH have been /
taken in a few days and although the Of |
tenders were arrested and fined, the profits /
have been so great that they can afford to
pay the fines and resume the Illegal prac-
tice. In this connection the Commissioners |
suggest that if the law we're amended so
that the seines. boats and paraphernalia
OF the offenders would be subject to con-
Ascation. a better enforcement OF the law
would result.
The recommendation for the amendment
Of this bill by changing the limit OF time
in which certain fish may be caught from
April ] to June I. the Commissioners eN-
plain as designed 10 give opportunity for
those who enjoy fishing to do so on May
30, which is a holiday in the District 0,
Columbia. If adopted this amendment
would make d difference OF only one DAY
In the operation OF the law