The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-05-21
WHAT ABOUT
SALMON PROTECTION?

! That the food fish NJ our state need
better protection tnan 10 now aft orded
IL agreed.
You have blready or doubtless will
receive considerable literature on the
subject, but no matter how attractive
the argument, stop and consider how
much it may be colored by self inter
est.
The United States Bureau OF Fish
cries are the greatest expert anthori-
ties on the subject and have no ax to
grind. Read what they say:
Department of Commerce and Labor,
Office of the Secretary, Washing
ton, ID. 9.
Hon. Chas. W. Fulton, United States
Senate, Washington, ID. Q.
Sir The department realizes the
Importance OF the various questions
affecting the salmon fishery In the
Columbia river brought up 10 your
letter OF the 18th ultim0, and has Ia
ken this opportunity to max" a thor
ougb investigation of the matter.
There can be no question that the
status OF the fishery Is unsatisfactory,
ard that under existing conditions
the trend may be expected to be
steadily downward. with the result
that in comparatively few years the
run OF salmon in that stream will be
reduced to such degree that thous
ands of fishermen may be thrown out
of employment and much capital rem
dered idle. The federal government
Is without any jurisdiction whatever
in the premises, and the duty OF con
serving the salmon supply in the Co
lumbia devolves on the states OF Ore
gon, Washington and Idaho; but this
department has been cbargf by CON
gress with important fish cultural op-
erations in the Columbia basin, and
has felt impelled from time to time
to direct attention to the necessity
for giving adequate protection to the
various species Of salmon frequenting
that stream The department is con
vinced that the run of salmon In the
Columbia can be amply maintained
for an indefinite period II artificial
propagation Is supplemented ty
rational protection; but artificial
propagation alone cannot cope with
the situation, and, as matter OF fact,
the recent experience the depart
mont has shown that its beneficent
labois are rendered almost futile by
the failure of the states to appreciate
this fact.
The department sees no reason for
advocating the elimination OF fish
wheels from the river, as there Is no
evidence to show that this form of
apparatus Is PARTICULARLY destructive
to salmon. A condition that is spec
tally favorable tor the passage of sal
mon-namely, very high water-ren
ders the wheels nserViceable and, on
the other hand, periods of very low
water, when the fish are much re-
stricted In their movements, are also
uniavorable for the wheels. During
the pat two or three seasons the
catch of salmon by wheels has been
comparatively small; but even IL 1t
we're very large It would be fact of
no special significance In the present
connection.
The Columbia river Is, however,
made to yield quantity OF salmon
tar greater than regard for the future
supply permits, and the drain Is year
ly becoming more serious. No one
familiar with the situation can fail
to appreciate the menace to the per-
petuity OF the industry that is fur
nished Ey the concentration of tre-
mendous amount OF fixed and floating
apparatus of capture in aud near the
mouth Of the river. This apparatus
comprises about 400 pound nets oil
traps, over 50 long-sweep seines and
more than 2,2O0 gill nets, the last
has ing an aggregate approximate
length of over $40 miles; aud these
appliances capture more than 50 per
cent of tho fish taken 10 the Oregon
aud Washington wat RS OF the liver,
the figures for 1904 being nearly 3D.