The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-02-17
PROTECTION OF FISH.
SENATOR CHRISTENSEN ADyO.
GATED AUDUBON SOCIETY
BILLS.
Object of Bill OF Senator Bass Is to
Provide Against Dynamiting and
Seining Certain Game Fish.

1
strong plea in the senate yesterday for
protection Of the fish and birds Of this
state. The discussion was upon Sem
ator Bass bill for the protection Of
game fish In the state of South Caro-
lima and for the repeal OF certain laws
relating thereto.
The lien law or any Of the other
measures which the farmers believe
are Of great interest to them," said
Mr.. Christensen. "mean less to them
than this protection of the BIRDS"
There are seven or eight of the Au-
dubon society measures before the
general assembly this year. All of
these bills are directed towards pro-
tecting the birds and fish Of the State.
or so much Importance were these
bills considered that there have been
efforts to have them made special or
ders on the calepdar. but this failed
when all special orders were discharg-
ed upon motion. However, this bill
OF Senator Bass as to protection of
game fish came up regularly for third
reading yesterday and was discussed
during the morning session.
The bill provides In the first section
that for the purpose of classification
the following Ash shall be known as
game fish: Jack fish or pIckerel pike,
black bass or trout. striped bass or
rock fish. Yarmouth. red-belly, robin,
Dream. copper-faced or ball-faced
Dream; branded Dream, yellow belly
perch. sun perch. red-fn trout, or yell
low perch. rainbow trout. speckled
trout. flyer. crappie. rock bass, gog-
gle eye and white perch.
The measure Is directed against the
use Of any appliances except hook and
line. spoon. artificial fly or by phan-
tom minnow for the catching of these
fish.
The following provisions also are
contained in the bill:
Provision against poisoning the
| streams.
Provision against allowing sewage
or sawdust In the streams.
Unlawful to fish in any streams
without the owners consent.
No navigable stream shall be OBJ.
structed by dam or otherwise unless
there be provided a fish way In same.
Unlawful to draw off water from
dams to catch fish.
Migratory fish may be caught under
present provisions Of the law.
Senator Graydon spoke against the
measure. He stated that the Audubon
society has become Ito be as much a
fad In this State as prohibition" He
thought the provisions Of the bill were
drastic and II tended to put the So
ciety ahead OF the convenience of the
people. He objected also on the
grounds that factories would be in
jured by the provisions of this bill.
He moved to strike out the enact
ing words thereof.
Senator Iide spoke about those
good old f1sh down In the Edisto
which Is famed for the mess of fish,
1t can produce. He thought there
should be Some provisions for the pro-
lection Of the fish. but was of the
opinion that the bill under discussion
should be amended somewhat. The
proper safeguards should be thrown
around the measures: as 1t now stood
1t would make many persons violate
the law.
Senator Black objected to the bill,
as 1t would allow no game fish to be
sold during the season from March to
November.
Senator Christensen. who is we'll up
on matters pertaining to fishing stated
that the work OF the Audubon society
should be more generally appreciated.
This society has done good work. in
spite OF the many obstacles It has en-
countered. The society is composed
or experts on the subject Of fish and
birds and they have studied out this
probleil In South Carolina and other
States and they thus know what is
best.
Senator Christensen compafed
North Carolina with this State in the
matter Of fish. He stated that of white
perch alone there had been sold In
North Carolina last year 5000, 900
worth. These same white perch were
once plentiful In South Carolina.
But you have dynamited them.
you have ravaged the streams of the
state and now you can hardly catch