The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-12-08

have difficulty in securing seed. Ex-
tension OF the closed season from
April rs TO May 1 might help to restore
the ealy schools, The late schools. prop
agated by hatcheries, are practically
the only ones left. And the lower
fisheries would destroy them too, u
unrestrained.
Each run of salmon Is 50 regular
that Il appears In the river almost on
the same day each year--that Is, II
not impeded by artificial obstacles as
gilinets on the bar Years ago the
wheels of the Cascades used to take
large quantities OF bluebacks, variety
OF salmon which made up nearly all of
the up-rlver pack. Those bluehacks
began TO appear at the wheels about
April % OF each year. and their arrival
did not vary three days from that time.
season TO season.
But these tish are almost entirely
gone. Why Because they were not
propagated at hatcheries. This last
season our cannery packed only sts
cases OF bluebacks; the season before
the number was about 400 and the sea-
son before that about 700, With the
gradual disappearance OF blueoacks we
have had to deepen our wheels so as
to catch chinooks.
Now. what does the disappearance
OF the bluebacks prove? Just this;
They are one OF the early spring
schools and like the others. have been
almost destroyed. II Is the same with
the early runs of chinooks. Those big.
strong chinooks which used to be
caught In the Columbia are hardly ever
seen now. This fact has been remarked
by everybody. II we had had hatcher
les to propagate the early schools as
has been done with the late runs. and
II the spring close season had been en-
forced. spring fish would be as abund-
ant as autumn fish. But We did not
have such hatcheries and must adapt
ourselves TO the conditions as they are
and improve them as we can.
what we have left is the result Of
previous legislation. The supply OF sal
mon has adapted itself to existing stat
utes and we cannot change those stat
utes without hazarding the industry.
The early schools are gone, but late
sc hools are saved. We can keep the
late fish II the wardens win enforce
the law.
After Van Dusen.
'.Mr. Van Dusen must resist the pres
sure OF Astoria interests II he would
save the fish from total humiliation.
Competition among those interests is
so severe and they are so bent on MAX
ing immediate profit that they are haz-
arding their own future welfare. much
as they theoretically desire to conserve
the fish He should move his Office
from Astoria and get away from that
pressure. Until he does SO he cannot
act impartially."
Mr.. Seufert declared that the warn
ing to the fisheries is so obvious and
costly example Of Puget sound is so
plain that there should be no hesita-
ton about enforcing the closed season.
He added that 1t was necessary to pro-
hibit gillnet fishing on the bar In order
to let the fish have access TO the river.
The fish warden has recommended a
law to that end,
I'm going to take 350-fathom gill;
net up to the legislature and spread 1t
over the capitol" said Mr.. Seufert. so
as to let the members see for them
selves what small chance salmon have
to enter the Columbia without going
into cans and pickle. There are more
than 1900 Of such nets, about 700 miles
of them. and 40 feet deep. Is It any
wonder the salmon that escape to
hatcheries are so few that schools of
summer salmon are so late in coming
In from the scar"