The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-28
PLANTING WILL
RE-STOCK WATERS
DEPUTY GAME WARDEN EN-
PLAINS WHlTEFlsH AND
TROUT ARE 6EcoM-
ING SCARCE.

c. y. Smith. of Petoskey. state depu-
~ game warden. whose special care is
the commercial fishing interests of the
state. states that the state game and
fish department is going ahead just the
same as if there was joint agreement
regulating commercial fishing pending
between the United States and Canada
il being his opinion that the state hsh
department will be little affected, in
case the proposed joint regulations are
made effective next January.
There is one bin now before the leg
islature. of particular interest to the
commercial fishing interests, which
Mr.. Smith is anxious TO have passed,
This bin provides for the licensing OF
row boats engaged in commercial fish
ing. which are omitted under the pres
ent license law. He states that there
are some row boats from which nets
are set that are larger than some OF
the launches. which shows that a law
requiring launches TO be licensed, while
row boats do not have 10 meet this re-
quirement, is an anomaly.
The state fish department is espe-
cially interested in the passage of this
bill because it would result in every
fisherman in the state being licensed
and on record, making it easier TO de-
tect illegally set nets. As il is now,
when any Of the game wardens come
across a net that bears no license num-
Der there is always a question as to
whether it has been set 10y row boat
fisherman or illegally set. The cham
ces are in favor of the latter, but If the
game warden tears out the net and ii
proves to belong to row boat fisher
man. the warden is in trouble. With
all the fishermen licensed, the wardens
would have no difficulty in determin-
ing legal and illegal nets.
More Propagation Needed.
How do YOU account for the dimin-
ishing supply of fish in Lake Superior
and what is the remedy?' Mr. smith
was asked
IF you keep taking out and put moth
ing back. the time soon comes when
there is nothing left" was his express
sive answer. Lake Superior is now
in about the same condition that Lake
Erie was ten years ago. It's supply of
fish is pretty nearly exhausted. When
in the same situation the Lake Erie
fishermen got the state of Ohio inter
ested in fish propagation and the result
is that today more fish are caught in
Lake Erie than in Lake Superior, LAX,
Huron and Lake Michigan combined
The state of Michigan does not appro-
pirate a dollar for commercial fist
propagation. and the only replenishini
Of fish in Lake Superior is done by tn,
federal government Obviously the
number planted by the government is
only a drop in the bucket 20 the mum
Der taken out
by giving more attention 10 artif-
cial planting, l am satisfied that ter
years hence there will be much bettel
fishing I'm Lake Superior than at pres
ent. Whitefish are much easier L
propagate than lake trout, and for this
reason the depletion of Lake Superior
whitefish need not be more than tenn
porary In natural propagation, pro
badly not more than 1 per cent OF tn
eggs ever hatch, whereas by artificial
propagation nearly all Of the spawl
can be Matched. Trout spawn is NOR
difficult 20 propagate, but it can b
done successfully. by those who hav
given careful expert study To the prob
lem. What Michigan needs is sevora
commercial fish hatcheries throug
which its depleted lakes can he re
stocked with fish.
Plenty of Food.
Il take no stock in the theory tina
the whitefsh and trout are dying on
because Of lack of food. There wa
once food for trout and whitefsh
Lake Superior. and as there are les
fish now than in past years, 1t is rea.
enable TO suppose that there is mol
food Where propagation has bee
tried in small way its results ha'
been noticeable within four years. an
there is every reason to believe tn
Lake Superior would support 100 tim
as many fish as now inhabit its water
There are more whitehsh now in La
Huron than a few years ago due larg