Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-14

and planted in the waters of long Island Sound The eggs were ob- tained from Holsters purchased from fishermen at market price.
 Conservation Plan.
 .The general principles of setting aside areas for the conservation of natural resource has been widely ac- cepted. This principle can be equally advantageous in conserving the future supply of the Connecticut river shad Recommendations have been made that no commercial fishing for shad should be allowed in any of the tribu- taries of the Connecticut river. and were designed. in particular, for the conserving of the future supply. Ap- preciatfng the ease by which money can be made in catching the shad from off their spawning beds at the expense and welfare of the fishery, it is posi- lively certain that all of the tribu taries of the Connecticut river should be closed. The decline in the use of pound nets and seines. which used to take the largest part of the shad, at and near the mouth of the river, and in the closing of the tributaries be- low Middletown, the shad have been given fair opportunity to reach their natural spawning grounds.
 Fines of S1,4f5.
 Two hundred and nineteen arrests were made by our wardens for viola tions of the fish and game laws and fines were imposed amounting to $1, 415 T wenty permits were issued to collect birds, their nests and eggs for scientific purposes and four licenses were issued for non-residents to fish for Holsters in the waters of this state.
 Licenses Advised.
 Provisions should be made for li- censing every legal device used in commercial fishing. Every person who fishes for the market does so for a living and financial profit and, in most cases gives but little or nothing in return for the benefits he receives. The fishermen get thousands of acres of water rent free, and the state pays for the seeding of it; his only outlay is for the necessary tools he works with. and therefore he can well afford to pay a license fee, which goes for the maintenance and betterment of the very industry out of which he secures a living. A license fee should be re- quired for taking fish with rod and wiling to contribute towards the propagation and preservation of the fish. The revenue derived from li- censes should be used only for the purpose of propagation. distribution and protection of food and game fish.
 Lobsters Valued at $76,e86.
 -NThe acts of 1907 require lobster fish fishery At that time 247 people were engaged in lobster fishing. with product of s391, ,203 pounds of Holsters valued at S56,475. The statistics for 1912 show 49S permits issued and the produce amounted to 514.57s pounds, valued at s776.ss6. The total fish product of the state was 9,281,592 pounds and together with the 70,44S shad caught has returned $275,176 during the two years"
 Deer.
 Under the head of deer, the report says that the claims for damage done by wild deer have been more numer- ous than ever before and the commits sion has been called upon to assist in determining the amount of damage done in 43 cases during the past two years. The commission for the better enforcement of the game laws advo- cates law similar to the one in Pennsylvania, prohibiting all unnat-4 iralized persons carrying firearms in the state, saying that it would make it easier t6 control the camp of for eigenrs who are apt to lay waste the country around them.
 The commission also advocates the repeal of Section 3,129 of the general statutes, which provides for the issue of licenses for the taking of birds for scientific purposes. A total of 19,641 resident 1S1 nonresident and 27 alien hunters, licenses were sold during 1911 and in 1912, 19.103 resident 155 non resident and 31 alien lie enses were is- sued