Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-20
FISH CODE GOES
TO GOVERNOR
Makes Many Changes in Reg.
ulations; Most Complete
Ever Enacted

irg IN the inland waters OF the state
went to the Governor to-day when
the House concurred in the Senate
amendments to the measure. 1t Is
by all odds the most effective and
important fish protective legislation
ever adopted the State and in the
Judgment of the Fisheries Depart
ment and the organized sportsmen
of the state its enactment is aoso-
lutely essential If fishing conditions
in the inland waters are 10 De ma
terially improved.
The bill fixes the open seasons,
size and creel limits for game fish as
follows. taking effect on January J.
1918:
sesaon April 10 to July 81; size limit,
6 inches; creel limit, 20. Bass Qarge
and small mouth, open season, July
l to December 81; size limit, 9
white, calico and strawberry, July 1
to December 81; size limit, inches;
creel limit, 25. Lake or salmon
trout, July l to September 80; no
size limit; no creel limit. Pike,
perch, wall-eyed pike or Susque-
hanna salmon, open season, July
to December 81; size limit, IL inches;
creel limit, 25. Pickerel open sea-
son, July 1 to December 81; size
limit, IL inchesj creel limit, 25 Mus
callonge, open season, July l to De-
ccmber 81: size limit, "A inches; creel
limit, 4. Yellow perch. open season,
July / to December 81; size limit,
inches; creel limit, 80. Sunfish, no
closed season; no size limit; creel
limit, so.
Sunday fishing is prohibited. The
use of nets, seines, spears, gigs or
outlines or lines bearing more than
three hooks is forbidden in all the
inland waters, excepting that small
dipnet or minnow seine net over four
feet in diameter may be used for
the taking of bait fish only. A min
now trap with an opening not over
one inch in diameter is also per-
plitted for taking bait fish.
The use of seines and dipnets is
permitted in the Susquehanna river
below McCall's Ferry dam under
license for the taking of shad, her
ring and alewife, suckers, catfish,
eels and carp only from March 1 to
June 20. The Fish Commissioner is
given power to grant permission to
use seines and nets in taking fish for
scienticfic purposes. for stocking or
propagation purposes or for removal
of injurious fish life.
The provisions of the old laws gov
erning dams or fishways are re-
enacted and the pollution section
forbids the use of explosives or cleo
tricity or poison in taking fish and
provides that mo person shall allow
any substance of any kind or char
acter deleterious, destructive or pol
sonous to fish to be turned into or
allowed to run, flow or wash or be
emptied into any waters within this
commonwealth unless 1t be shown to
the satisfaction of the Commissioner
of Fisheries or the proper court that
every reasonable and practicable
means has been used to abate and
prevent the pollution of the waters
in question by the escape of dele
terious substances.
The purchase, sale or exposure for
sale of any species of trout, except
lake trout, or of any large-mouth
or small-mouth bass is forbidden,
unless artificially propagated and
sold under state license.
The Commissioner of Fisheries is
empowered to furnish fish for free
distribution or planting to the public
waters of the commonwealth within
the state forest reserves, to the pub
lie school authorities and institutions
of learning for educational or scien-
tific purposes, to proper persons for
TlSn cultural, lot dqudTlulIlS VI SHOW
ponds. or waters the bed and banks
OF which are subjects of private own
ership who're the public is permitted
to fish. Any natural stream or lake
which is stocked with fish furnished
by the State is opened to the public
for the purpose of lawful fishing.
The commissioner is authorized to
set aside such lakes or streams as
he may Judge suitable as nursery
streams after giving public notice
and to close such streams and post
them against all fishing all the time
Any person who receives fish from
the state and plants them in waters
where the public is forbidden to fish
is liable to a fine.
Authority is given for the appoint
ment of sixty-five fish wardens and
as many deputies as may be deemed
advisable.
The code repeals and replaces
practically all the old acts governing
fishing in the inland waters except
ing the act prohibiting fishing by
aliens and the pollution act of 1875.