The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-10

THE STATE COMMISSION RE-
PORTS
On Benefits of Protection and propn-
Cation.

Cation.
The report of the commissioners Of
and equally full of enthusiastic appre-
citation of what cas- be done in the way
of preserving and propagating fish and
game. The commission has adopted
the wise policy of not giving cut voting
fish until they become fngerltngs. This
reduces the number largely but in
sures vitality and makes the planting
lar more likely to be effective. During
the year there have been planted in
tributary waters of the Pennington,
Scantic and Salmon rivers $4,000 ATTAIN
tic salmon, and 400 land-locked sal
mon have been put into inland lakes.
Our state is the only one where shed
fry are retained five or six months be-
fore being turned loose The success
of this work can be inferred from the
fact that in 1892 the shad catch was
1896, while in 1901 it was 124,947. The
report says:
Your commission are steadfast in
the belief, and are confident that had it
not been for these ponds the Connect
cut river shad would now be such a
luxury-if not wholly eXtinct-that
only the very wealthy people could pos
sibly afford to buy them, and our fish
ermen would keenly feel the loss of the
thousands of dollars which they now
get for their seasons catch of shad
We procured from the United States
commission in1901 and planted in the
JoshuatoWn ponds, 9,97S,0OO shad fry
and again in May, 1902, only 100000
fry could be obtained for the ponds on
the Connecticut river. These shad
when they have attained Othe finger
ling size, about the last of October or
first of November, are driven out into
the river, there to follow their natural
instincts-to seek their own welfare
and the survivors in return to the riv-
er, full grown shad, in three years
time. The, heretofore unheard Of, eX-
ira large shad weighing from seven to
eight and nine pounds apiece and
which have long been the hope and
ambition of the fishermen to catch, has
been realized, and their extra size is
rightly attributed to the artificial
propagation.
Coming to birds the commissioners
say:
1T is early yet to expert a marked
change in the condition Of our game as
the result of the enactment Of the new
law for the protection Of game Never
the!ess reports from all sections of the
state indicate there has been material
increase as far as partridge and quail
are concerned. 1t is admitted on all
sides that the partridge is the king of
ali game birds, and if they once become
extinct, they are gone forever Hunt
ing and sharing for the markets had
been so persistently carried on that
there was great danger of their total
determination in a short time. The leg
islature came to their rescue, as if an
answer to the voice of nature appealing
to us to spare wisely and in modera-
ton a few, and preserve them before
it was too late. in the enactment of
the law prohibiting the sale Of part
ridge, quail and Woodcock for two
years. The fact should not be lest
sight of that the tendency Of all mod
ern legislation everywhere is against
the sale and marketing of game birds.
Those who have given the subject
moments serious consideration cannot
fail to see that the non-sale of game
means that less will be killed, and they
will increase and multiply. Thirty
eight states of the Union have passed
laws prohibiting the sale of game. If
the sale of cartridges is to be allowed
under any circumstances, it should be
permitted only under the closest scrut-
inv possible. and persons dealing in
them should be subject to the supervis-
ion of state authority, and the number
of birds that may be lawfully killed
and sold by any one person during
season should be limited to small
number. Game laws are made
primarily for the preservation of the
game and they must limit the killing
both as to the bag and the season, so
that no more will be killed in any one
season than that which is left can re-
produce in the following season. The
principle of game protection is, In the
abstract popular to-day With the
whole people, except those whose self
ish interest is to profit by the rapid
and unreasonable slaughter. Bird pro
lection appeals to all persons and it's
inheritance Is becoming more generally
annreciated by the farmer, who re-
CARDS them as an inestimable benefit to
agriculture, the sportsman. who values
birds for the pleasure derived from
their pursuit as game, and to many
ne0Dle of every class, who derive EN-
iovment from their presence; ali are
interested in the question of their pres
eryation and they all have long realiz-
ed the necessity for stringent measures
of nro+pction.'