Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-10-11

MILAN Al NJ, " ~, OCt' 81
Fishcrncn of the state are up in arms
because If the passage Of a law by the
la4t Legislature providing that they
mus Obtain license for following their
vocation. 1t is claimed that the law
vas slipped through the Legislature dur
ing the closing days Of the session with
out proper discussion.
Reynolds Is Surprised
A-scmbIynan Thomas Reynolds of
Door county, who was a member Of the
ioiuf committee on fish and game, claims
thar hc knew nothing Of the law and
w.ls surprised upon his return IRON
Mad. son 10 find that it had been enacted.
He IS DESTROYS Of finding OuI Wh0 miro
dueeI tile measure and believes that It
ought to be regarded as dead letter.
senator George IT, Page Of Milwaukee
was chairman of the joint committee On
nsh ana game Be says that there were
q large number Of laws submitted TO the
committee by the fish and game depart
uc8l and introduced as committee DliS
ana thoroughly discussed by fishermen
from all parts Of the state The fishing
FIJI tie Grcat Lakes and Green bay, he
says is carried on for gain and not Tor
port and that it was the consensus Of
.p5Hion that in order TO protect the game
St4 in those waters and restrict the fish
ng to rough fish, it was necessary to
a3go close supervision Of the game war
dons department. In order to pay for
tile Expense Of this supervision, ii was
conceded that a license for all fishermen
engaged III the business was fair.
Was Thoroughly Discussed.
The matter was thoroughly discussed
before the committee" said Senator
Pa9o. u do not recollect at this time
whore the bill came from, but it was in
PRODUCED in the Senate as Il committee
bill and took its regular course. l am
inclined TO believe that it was suggested
BY he fish and game department., al
though / ann not certain as to that. Fish
erncn in several parts Of the state have
been licensed III former years under gen
eral laws, excepting certain localities,
which were specifically named in the sew
crnI cnactments. There were large
number Of fishermen from Lake Superior
and Lake Michigan and Green Bay pres
cnt before the committee when the bill
was discussed and the only dispute be
tween them was as to the size OF the
nets 70 be allowed. 1t seemed TO be gen
orally accepted that it would be q good
thing to license the fishermen
Licenses foI Nets and Boats.
The law as enacted is part of chap
ter Us Of the laws Of 1907, and was
JOINT committee on fish and game. 1t
reads in part as follows:
Section IJGea 10 l. 1t shall be unlaw-
full and Ii Is prohibited for any person or
persons, firm or corporation TO set or use
DetS or SCENES for catching fish or to catch
fish Of any kind, except as otherwise pro
vidtd ay law, in the waters of Lake Mich
igan, Green bay Lake Superior or in any
OF the bays thereof within the jurisdiction
OF this state without first having procured
license from the state fish and game
warden as provided by law.
;. The license for each seine shall be
SOC and for each pound net $50.
The license for each vessel or boat used
In setting or using such nets or in carrying
fish caught therein shall be as follows:
For each steam tug or steam vessel $40.
For each boat or launch over thirty feet
in length. propelled hy the use of uaphtha,
gasoline or other motive power other than
steam, 500.
For boat less than thirty feet in length,
propelled by motive power other than
steam, $50.
For any sail boat rowboat scow or pound
boat, SD, provided that any person having
paid a license for the use OF pound nets or
scenes may employ any boat III ana about
the use thereof without obtaining Il license
Tor the use Of such boat.
All licensed boats must bear number cor
responding 10 the number Of the license au-
thorizing the operation Of said boat, and
such license must be exhibited upon said
boat i'll Il conspicuous place.
). Licenses rs hCreinbcfOrC provided shall
be issued Ivy the state fish aud game
den upon application therefor and upon
payment u Tic sum rcqu rcd Ivy this sec
tion. Such license shall expire upon the
first day OF January succeeding the day Of
their issuance and shall not be transfer
able.
A. The state fish and game warden shall
keep in his office complete record of all
licenses issued under the provisions of this
section and all moneys received for such Ii
censes shall be paid into the state treasury
and become a part of the general fund
D. Any person, firm or corporation who
shall set or attempt to set any net or shall
use any boat vessel without having oh
tanned q license therefor as required by
TINS act shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor and upon conviction thereof shall be
punished by a fine of not less than SO nor
more than 500 or by Imprisonment in
county Jail not less than two months nor
more than six months.
q. Vessels ana boats used contrary to
the provisions of this act are declared pub
lie nuisanceS and shall be contiScated by
the state and shall be sold at private or
public sale and the proceeds therefor paid
to the state treasurer and placed in ana be-
come part of the hunting license fund.
The bill was introduced on June 6
and became a law on July 13.
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