The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-09
Three Causes Assigned For De-
struction Of Their Fish.
TRAPS, Dams, SHORT SEASONS
NURSERY PLAN OF RlSElANO Is
HELD ~ MANY TO BE
BEST METHOD.


bia is very seriously menaced at the
present time, first, by the curtailment
of the already too brief closed sea-
son; second, by the erection of i'm
passable dams, where the salmon are
wont to ascend for spawning pur-
poses; and, lastly, by the unrestricted
operations of fishing devices, which
are unnecessarily destructive.
In the foregoing words United States
Commissioner George M. Bower Of
the bureau of fisheries, sums up his
opinions of the fishery problems Of the
Columbia river The opinion was
written to Master Fish Warden Van
Dusen. of Portland Ore, who is in
communication with Pacific Coast fish
ing experts as to whether the retention
of salmon fry at Columbia river state
hatcheries longer time than has been
practiced in the past would save the
young fish from predatory enemies, on
account of the larger size they would
attain. Commissioner Bowers and John
P. Babcock, commissioner of fisheries
of the Province of British Columbia.
have written Mr.. Van Dusen express
ing themselves as against the proposed
plan. and Mr.. Van Dusen is disposed
to agree with them.
Riseland Is Advocate.
One of the chief advocates of the
nursery plan is John l.. Riseland, fish
commissioner of the state of Washing
ton, who. in his latest biennial report,
has recommended it. Another advO
cate of that new plan is r. d. Hume,
pioneer salmon culturist and Gamer or
Rogue river, who maintains that
Rogue rivers good supply of salmon
has been kept up by this method.
1t is alleged that many of the SAL
mon fry turned out Of the hatcheries
being not more than ~ inches long
fall a prey to other fish, and that if
they should be retained in nursery
ponds until having attained a length
of from four to six inches. a larger
percentage of them would be saved,
to return as adult fish,
Numerous fishermen of the Column
bia river hold to the nursery idea,
alleging that as Columbia river hatch
cries have turned out an average of
100000 fry annually for the last 10
years, and less than 1000 900 annually
have been caught, while in the last
two years the hatcheries have been
able to secure few adult seed fish. there
must be waste in the devouring of
fry by preying fish.
The question is one on which there
is divergence of opinion, however, as
is evidenced by the letters of Mr.. Van
Dusen from Mr.. Bowers and Mr.. Bah
cock
Both Mr.. Bowers and Mr.. Babcock
practiced in the Columbia river. as q
dangerous menace to the recurring
supply of salmon.
There was an increased catch OF
salmon on the Columbia in 1905,' says
Mr.. Bowers. "but it was made at the
expense of the future supply. The
prospects of filling the hatcheries the
present season Q906) are very dis
cOuraging.
Unless steps are taken at once to
permit a sufficient number of fish to
ascend the streams to stock the hatch
cries now being operated. the industry
will soon be destroyed or become of
minor Importance"
Mr. Van DuSen has reached the con-
illusions of Mr.. Bowers and Mr.. Bah
cock. though he is quite willing to see
a test made of the nursery method at
each of the Oregons tate hatcheries.