The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-11-08
TO INCREASE
FISH SUPPLY
-a-a-a=-s-
Shorten the Season to Three
Months and Give Nature
an Opportunity.
SUGGESTION OF W. .H.H. REED
rA;.l, Too Much Artificial Propagation sud
Killing Of Female SalnOa Is ha''as
Ruineus EiisS, On States
BiE lsndutry.

IL
one Of the most extensive sa'n'n ' ''"'-
ers In the state. who has been IN '.e
r,,v This week. believes that under '"e
nrrsent system. artificial propasat''n
= a.,rimental TO the industry Nr'
Raes thinks oregOn should not ensase
-, extensively in hatchery work. ana
are, rA,,ining stations should be pro
,,ass for those hatcaeries alreaaN
established by Fish Warden va"
Dusen.
II has always been eon'enHsi US
h.,cherv experts that the female
s,,moo died upon spawning nn' tn's
theory is not shared by Mr. REED. ina
~ar,lenan points out that females oe-
- spawing when they are l. p'nndS
ar thersabouts in weight H. ne asNN
the female drst spawns at max s'-s'
-, 5oas IL come that there are ."
ana 90 pound female salmon he
,,,,svss that the females do not peI1sn
a, the spanwing waters. but tha' 'lSS
r,,,,rn Z, the ocean and in tohoW'nH
wears lead back into the river the you"s
salmon.
Unless retaining stations are pr
yided. propagation will not aeeomp''SH
-. ,,,kai-for results" says Mr.. keed'
.Fgsh that are turned out when 'h'y
are only an inch or two m length are
only a prey Tor trout. and II natcn'''eS
- n be successful some provision
must b. made for care Of the youhN
ash. They should Be placed IN some
t,lr. and retained there until they are
large enough to care for themselves,
"T7nier he present manner Of natch-
49,. work the female salmon are
killed before the spawning process
This believe. is one Of the greatest
errors ever made. The old nsh. 70 NV
c.,-,a,n knowledge, return to the sea-
and are leaders for the younger nsH'
E,,sr,, time an old female is Killed. the
in5,s,rv Is damaged The females
copl5 bs spawned without being killed
and after the process could b reTurnei
to the water
.sHeretofore We have mad aoso'u's''
n, results from hatchery work II :
prettv generally believed that the great
run II the pas; season was due u ar''-
hciaI pr5pa CATION. but do not enter
tain this theory. None OF the hsa
went 10 the river. the run prevailing
only near the mouth. which to me
seems pro,f conclusive that II was
coast run. TEE wheels on the upper
river farei poorly. while the canneras
an the lower river were blocked. These
FISH dI no; belong 20 the upper river
were Aatch4i som -vhere elss-a7A
consequently did not return
IL IS nv idea that nature sh7uli b.
given a chance. Let the state officials
pr9,ee. the natural spawning waters.
rtad5ning armsd men. II necessary. %
SEQ that the salmon ara not moiestei
believe the Officials sh1ull r-lv u2-
on natural propagation to fully as g-ea;
extent as upon artificial work.
"Tt is con,euied that artificial work
IS absolutely essential bscauss, On a.
count of the location Of fish Wheels,
salmon are unable TO reach the spawn
ing waters. There is a way around this
difficulty. We all know tina; Inc fish
ing Industry lasts only 70 or 50 days
in reality. though the season Is II
four months duration. Le, Us rsduc;
the time to three mon,hs-Mly, June
AMI July-and see u It that there .s no
fishing during the closed season. This
will give the Early fsl pentv u op-
portunity to reach the spawning wat
ers. and the August fish viii also have
chance to get 70 the headwaters.
"Bu: We are overriding hatchery work.
AT th- present time our operations are
80 extensive that ne FISH nave no
chance to spawn naturally. and I am
firmly convinced that, unless retaining
stations are provided and the season
shortened. the Industry win c0ndau
% decline
Both Fish Warden Van Dusen and
Commissioner Little. the latter II ta=
state Of Washington, have expressed
themselves az being in favor u retain
ing stations. but It Is unlikely that
there will be any place 70 keep the 90
100000 or more young FISH which Ore
gon will turn gu, next year, as the re-
suit Of the present years operations,
Mr.. Reds statement tina. old females
return 10 the sea Is interesting. and.
indeed. most reasonable. as Il Is not
al all natural that spawning should re-
suit in the death Of the parent.
Sentiment in favor Of shortening the
season to three months is becoming
strongly rooted. and the probabilities
are an effort will be made TO change
the fsh laws at the next session Of the
legislature. Very few fish are now TAX
en- in April. and II the fish entering
the river in that month were permitted
TO reach the spawning waters the sup
ply Of early fish would again be in
creased to its old-time proportions.
aFra@Ts