The Republican journal., 1909-01-07
Maine Fish and Game.
The Commissioners Say Trout and Salmon
are Worth to the People Many Times the
Value of Deer and Moose.

The Commissioners Say Trout and Salmon
are Worth to the People Many Times the
Value of Deer and Moose.
The annual report of the commissioners
on inland fisheries and game, L. T. Carle-
ton of Winterport, James w. Bracket
of Phillips and Edgar E. Ring of Orono,
which has been filed with the governor
and council says in part:
"From the reports of the superintend-
ents Of the various hatcheries and feeding
stations we now have in round numbers
l, 430, 900 land-locked salmon eggs, and
$4,000 trout eggs, 100000 togue eggs
and 80, 600 brown trout eggs. We have
also contracted for 100000 eyed trout
eggs which will be delivered early in
February. We have also promise from
the United States Fish Commissioner of
3O0,0 600 eyed trout eggs from Colorado.
This will make grand total of 1882, DOC
eggs of land-locked salmon and trout in
the Matching troughs, larger number
many thousands. Fish planted, 2,186, 313.
We have of live fish 256, 700 which will be
wintered.
eve have had, all things considered, q
very successful year, in our hatcheries
and feeding stations. The cost Of oper-
ating these hatcheries the coming year,
as shown in the estimate filed with the
auditor, necessary repairs, clerical help
and necessary expenses connected with
the work, will be $37, $50.
"There are loud, long and insistent de.
mands from the people for warden ser
vice to protect fish and much fault is
found that they cannot have it. 1t is
now for the legislature to determine
whether the fish shall be protected, 9th
erwise than what protection the law
gives. We cannot have warden service
to protect fish unless the appropriation
for fish is materially increased from for
mer years.
1.-THE cost of distributing fish, which
is very considerable, since the railroads
withdrew free transportation to the SUI
perintendent or person obliged to accom-
pany them to take care Of them during
the transportation, taking fish eggs,
costs Of hearings on closing streams
and regulating fishing in various waters,
engineers fees for drawing plans for
fish-ways, the cost of printing this re-
port, the. cost of printing notices, post
penses, including clerical services, will
leave practically tI nothing Of the SIS, goo
warden service to protect fish from the the
depredations of the poacher, to protect
them from those who will net them,
spear them, steal them from the weirs
where they have been gathered in order
to take their eggs, take them from the
spawning beds-in fact, take them in any
and every way known to the willy arts Of
the poacher.
TROUT VS.. SALMON.
thine in fish and game matters, as in
all other matters, works many changes
in conditions, and in the opinions and
wants of the people. The strong ten
dency now is for more trout to plant to
re-stock the waters of the State, and a
much less demand for land-locked salmon
than formerly. Twenty years ago or so
the rage was for the locked salmon.
The artificial cultivation of the trout was
neglected. The land-locked salmon can
be raised much easier-the loss in raising
it is much less than consequently
a better showing can be made in land
locked salmon culture than in trout cul-
ture.
"Our people appear to have largely
gotten over their desire for land-locked
salmon-t they now prefer trout, as the re-
quests for fish which we receive conclu-
slvely show. This has been more notice
able from year to year for several years.
There are some noticeable exceptions to
the above, however. For instance, at
Sebago lake, the wish seems to be for
salmon almost entirely, while at Belgrade
Lakes the chief desire seems to be for
black bass. 1t costs more to raise trout
than it does land-locked salmon.
'The fish in the inland waters of the
State, from commercial standpoint, are
worth to the people of the State many
times more than its game. The large
tourist or summer business in the inland
territory is largely dependent upon the
supply Of fish.
sAround the lakes and ponds are thou
sands of summer hotels, cottages and
private summer residence millions of
dollars are thus invested. The primary
object Of such a location is the oppor-
tunity afforded to partake of the pleasure
of fishing and catching fish. The occu-
pants Of these dwellings spend weeks and
months in them each season, and expend
in the aggregate millions Of dollars year
ly, giving EMPLOYMENT to many OF our