Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-01-21
DIVISION OF FISHERIES
By James Neyin
ROUGH FISH

The fish of Wisconsin are, by law,
divided into two groups, game fish and
rough fish. The game fish are those
varieties for which closed season is
prescribed, while the rough fish in
clude clubs, dace, suckers, carp, red
horse, sheephead, ellpout, dogfsh, gar
fish, buffalo and lawyers. The species
of rough fish, about which most in
terest is conferred is the carp. 1t is
found in many of our inland lakes
and streams and in large numbers in
Green Bay and of late years has be-
come one of the leading commercial
fish.
For number of years, the state
has exercised control of the carp in
dustry in our inland waters. Such
fish caught in Green Bay and the Mis-
sissippi river was the property of the
fishermen upon condition that license
had been secured. In controlling the
industry on our inland waters, other
means were adopted. Instead of issu-
ing licenses, contracts were made with
experienced fishermen, authorizing the,
use CT nets and specifying that the
drawing of seines or lifting Of nets
could only be done under the super
vising of an agent appointed by the
Conservation Commission. The salary
and expense of the supervision war
den was borne by the fisherman. The
contract further provided that finan-
cial consideration be paid to the state,
based on the number of pounds
caught or a percentage of the net
proceeds of sales. Payment of twenty
per cent on net proceeds of sales was
considered most satisfactory by both
the fishermen and the commission.
During the year 1867 the states
share from the sale of 1,03S,915 pounds
of fish, principally carp, amounted to
| $S,169SS For the year following,
$16,360.35 was received from the sale
of 859,317 pounds. There was large
| increase in the amount of revenue de-
| rived although there was less fish
| marketed, the difference being due to
| the increased market value of the fish
and the terms of the contract, besides
the commercial sales of S59,317 pounds
of fish marketed there was sold within
the state from municipal markets, ap-
proximately 100000 pounds.
Shortly after war was declared with
Germany the federal government
through it's agents instituted a cam
paign to conserve food, with emphasis
on meats, and Urged the public to
save meats by eating fish, using as
their slogan, "Save the products of the
land-eat more fish, they feed them
selves" The, response of the people
is evidenced in the amount of carp
and other rough fish consumed dur
ing the period of about five months.
Formerly there had been practically
no market for carp in Wisconsin. The
people of our cities were impressed
with the order of the food administra-
tion and fully realized the necessity of
using substitutes that meats might be
sent to our armies and allies.
To Governor Philip with his usual
foresight should be given the credit
for suggesting that municipal markets
be established in all our cities and
rough fish be offered for sale at cost.
The State Council of Defense in
cooperation with our Commission de-
cided on a course of action. 1t sent
our circulars to its branch organiZa-
tions and had published in newspapers
that rough fish could be obtained for
public sale from the Conservation
Commission to retail at approximately
five cents per pound. This price was
maintained regardless OF the market
value of the fish elsewhere. The con-
tracts that were made with the fisher
men specified that all orders for fish
from within the state should be given
priority and fixed price of 31ac per
pound established. The retail price of
the fish determined by the cost of
| transportation was seldom above five
cents.
To still further encourage carp as
q cheap wholesome food receipts for
preparing the fish were printed and
| distributed freely. A few of the cities
that ordered fish failed to recorder,
but generally they maintained the mar
ket until weather conditions made it
impossible. We have not complete
| record of the total sales to each city,
but we know from the records Of the
number of pounds of fish caught that
not less than 100000 pounds were
sold within the state. The city of Mil
waukee led by far in the amount of