The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-10-20
PEOPLE ARE BEING
DECEIVED ON LAWS
AND TAXES ON FISH
COMMISSIONER HODGES, WHO
is IN PENSACOLA ON SHELL
FISH COMMISSIONS BOAT, IS
SUES A STATEMENT.

That the people are being deceived
by certain parties in the state rela-
tive to the laws regulating the fish
and oyster industry and the taxes i'm
posed thereon, is the statement of w.
G. Hodges, the state shell fish COM
missioner, who is in the city. The
statement says:
I'm the wisdom of the Florida Leg
| lslature Of 1915, composed very large
ly of the very best citizens of the
state, the old saltwater fish laws were
re-enacted practically with some lit
tie changes in order to perfect them
and very low taxation placed on the
industry in order that a small rev.
enue might be derived above running
| expenses.
| 'The enforcement of this law was
placed under the shell fish commits
sion. The legislature deemed it wise
to provide the commissioner with a
good substantial steamer with which
| to patrol the gulf coast and appro-
priated $4,000 with which to buy her.
A boat we'll worth $4,000 was pur-
chased for less than the sum appro-
priated, and is now covering the gulf
coast work, and something over $500
left to be applied on the purchase of
another boat.
''Now, comes the grand jury of
Levy county, composed mostly Of
fishermen and say in a general pre-
sentiment; they condemn the purchase
of this boat as unnecessary, unwise
and foolish and recommend that she
! be sold and the money placed back in
the state treasury. They also say
that it is costing $3.50 per day to
| operate this boat. This statement is
absolutely false and without founda-
ton. 1t is costing less than twenty
dollars day to operate this boat
including salaries, provisions and
fuel. This entire payroll for the
commission, including salaries of
deputies and all other expenses does
not cost as much as this grand jury
states it cost to operate one boat.
Someone certainly did a bad job of
| guessing.
''This certainly is new role for a
grand jury. 1t is their sworn duty
to search out crime and bring the
law breakers before the court on a
true-bill. Instead of this they con-
denim the law as being unjust.
81 understand Judge T. ]. Wills,
presiding over the circuit court, paid
his respects to the persons that
| Matched up the violent opposition to
the enforcement of this law and told
: them plainly if brought before him
for a violation of it, that he would
give them the extent of the law.
"Why all this opposition from the
so-called fishermen unions. Is it be-
cause they want the law enforced in
order to protect the fishing industry
of the state? Not by any means.
They have paid out good hard-earned
dollars to lawyers with the hope Of
breaking it up and all they received
in return was the advice that the law
was constitutional and they would
have to obey it.
'I think the public is entitled to
know just what kind of saltwater
fish law they have and I will go over
it briefly, section by section, and com
pare it with the old laws.
"Section one declares the owner
ship of the state to all fish IN the
waters under the jurisdiction Of the
state. This provision was not neces-
sary because any good lawyer will
tell you the state already had the le-
gal ownership to them.
"Section two defines the size Of bar
and mesh and makes it exactly the
same size as it was under the old
law. This section gave the fisher
; man, using an illegal net, until Sep
TENDER 30th, 1915, to fish out this IL
legal net without penalty imposed
by the former law.
"Section three is simply copy OF
the old law as to length Of nets and
provides that nets of greater length
may be used in regular mullet or
mackerel fishing.
"Section four is for the protection
of shad as provided for by the old
law.
: "sectlon five prohibits stop-net
fishing which the old law did.
Section six provides close season
for shad which the old law did.
Section eight provides close sea-
son for mullet exactly as the old law
did only it changes the season from
November 3Oth to January goth west
of the Suwannee river and it makes il
illegal to have a mullet in your pos
session during the closed season. This
provision simply provides method
for having real closed season or
mullet. No one will be deprived Of
a mess of fish for their personal use
as there is an abundance of other
kinds of fish that may be taken dur,
ing the closed season. As every fish.
elman knows, the supply of mullet
has decreased to such an extent thai
unless the spawning season is pro.
tected by a closed season, the mullet
win soon be entirely a thing of the