The Virginia enterprise., 1909-04-30

"|-l ests, mines, lands, or
IN the wild life of the wood, field and
stream, by erecting, if need be, legal
barriers, to restrain those who would
Wantonly and recklessly waste and
destroy those resources, intended not
only for our use and enjoyment, but
for all future generations, and also
by providing rational methods of re-
placing that which we use, so as to
transmit unimpaired these blessings
to our descendants. Our RESPONSE
bility is therefore great, and the citi-
zen who does not realize this, and
who is not inspired by due regard for
the best interests of the state, should
be the rare exception.
Heretofore, the subject of game and
fish protection and preservation has
been confused more or less by inher-
tied prejudice and ignorance of its
Importance. But the determination
OF certain valuable species, and the
impending Obliteration of others, due
to reckless, unrestrained slaughter,
and neglect of any methods of prop
agation, have brought us to a reali-
zation of the necessity for some larger
plans whereby we may check the de-
crease and realize sure and grad
ual increase in game and fish.
The first impulse, when it is found
that game and fish are decreasing at
an alarming rate, is to impose fur
ther restrictions, but we have found
while certain restrictions are neces-
sary, that restrictive measures alone
will not permanently save the game.
We have learned that artificial aid
and encouragement to natural prOpa-
cation and breeding is a practical
success in maintaining the supply of
fish, and are just beginning to find
out that the same principle must be
applied, so far as possible, to game
birds and animals, encouraging their
propagation and increase by provid-
ing suitable food, and protected
breeding grounds, and destroying, so
far as possible, their natural enemies.
Minnesota has been, is now, and
should be for all time, one of the
greatest game, fish and fur produc-
ing states of the Union. One-fifteenth
of it's entire area is water surface,
made up of thousands of lakes Of
varying size and depth, inhabited by
millions of fish, the home of thou
sands of fur-bearing animals, and the
nesting and feeding grounds of myr-
lads Of wild water fowl. Had this
water surface been equally distrib-
uted over the state, there is sufficient
in the aggregate for lake of 1000
acres in extent in every township
ample for supplying all the fish re.
Quired for hundred times our pres
ent population. The present methods
and facilities for artificial propaga-
tion and distribution of fish, should,
and will be improved and amplified to
meet all future demands. No further
restrictions on the taking or sale Of
fish should be necessary, and there
ought to be no reason why, with
proper development of fish culture,
many of the present restrictions may
not from time to time be removed.
No data is available as to the guam.
tity of fish annually taken from our
inland waters, but from Interstate
and international boundary waters, in
cluding the Mississippi river and Lake
St. Croix, between Minnesota and
Wisconsin, that part of Lake Superior
known as the North Shore, Rainy
Lake and Lake of the Woods, the
value of the total catch Of CONNER
cial fishermen approximates mil
lion dollars every year, nearly. all
shipped to outside markets, and. over
half of which, in quantity and value,
made up of the humble and despised
German carp, caught from the prolific
waters of the Mississippi river. This
river Is marvelously productive Of
fish of the so-called rough varieties,
which seem to be increasing, notwith-