The Ely miner., 1925-02-27
GAME AND FISH
CONSERVATION.
SOME FACTS REGARDING STAT.
ISTiCS AND CASH OF THE
DEPARTMENT.

an ealuorlal enGIIied "Wnat Price
economy" which lets out conSid-
cradle nformaUion- on the game and
nsn situation OF the state anu also
talks some about what the depart
ment neeas for necessary conserva-
ton. The Dispatch saluI:
"ihe Mlnnesotan likes to hunt
anu nsh. How valuable to him Is
The privilege! What worth, to the
people of The state, is this source
of recreation!
1.-The state has it's thousands of
lakes. On three sloes are bound
ary waters. There are wild lands,
habitat, like the lakes and streams,
OF game and fish. Of what value
TO the state is this resource?
Inland, Interstate and interna-
tional waters under jurisdiction of
Minnesota yield annually to COM
mercyal fishing alone somewhere
near $500 tons of fish, worth to the
fisherman nearly 100000, and
bringing directly to the state an an
nual revenue of nearly $4,000.
In addition to this, state waters in
1928 produced 1889 tons of mus
sells having a total value 20 fisher
men of $54,741.
SIN 1923 Minnesota hunters bag
ged 1,334,000 ducks, 2,784 geese,
$4,000 prairie chickens and about
100000 coots. The 1922 kill of
ruffed grouse was about $4,000.
Of fur bearing animals, 264, 900
were taken. in 1923, and in 1924
probably more than $4,000 deer
were killed in Minnesota. There is
more than 100000 pounds of
venison, millions of pounds of game
birds and 100000 pounds of
commercial fish, besides the un-
recorded quantities of game fish
taken by anglers, small game ami
mails and furs of great value taken
from Minnesota lakes, streams ana
wild lands every year. Clearly this
is resource of millions of dollars
in money value, not to calculate its
worth as source of rich tourist
trade and of recreation to the
people.
"To a certain extent the state
protects this resource. 1t maintains
a Game and Fish department, fish
hatcheries, game wardens and fish
and game laws to conserve the sup
ply. In 1924 more than 375,000,-
900 fish fry and ingerlings were
distributed in our waters. But as a
general proposition the state gov
ernment itself, over a period of
years has been taking more money
from its game and fish resources,
exclusive of an immense harvest by
private citizens, than it has return
ed to the department. According
to the reports of Carlos Avery in
the six years prior to 1921 the rev.
enues of the Game and Fish depart
ment were 81 ,O50,773 and the dis
bursements 1897, 900. In other
words the state, purporting to main
tain a conservation department in
the interests of the people, actually
has been exploiting the department
as source of revenue, for its own
use.
"Now the State Game and Fish
department asks substantial in
creases in appropriations stipulat-
ing that if the legislature sees fit
to levy 81 resident game license
on anglers more than 18 years old
but permitting farmers to fish in
| waters bordering their own lands,
the department will continue to be
virtually self-sustaining.
"Under the policy of exploiting
the Game and Fish department,
hatcheries are in need of repairs,
several have so inadequate water
supplies that they cannot operate
effectively, equipment is needed and
the state is not getting a reasonable
output from existing plants. Lakes
and streams subjected to terrific
drain, are showing signs of fish de
pletion. Itasca county, with 1000
lakes, asks authority to maintain a
hatchery of its own to meet the
situation. To protect a resource
shown to be worth millions of dol
lars annually, Minnesota has been
expending less than $365,000 a
year for fish propagation and has
maintained regular force of
only about 80 wardens at salaries
averaging little more than $500 a
month. Though. the automobile has
brought armies of hunters into the
woods, 100000 tourists into the
state and swarms of fishermen to
the lakes, the state still is in the
horse and buggy stage of game law
enforcement
''The word is about in the State
Legislature that the game and fish
| appropriations are to be slashed to
tie bone. 1t is proposed that fees
from nonresident fishing licenses
now accruing directly to the depart.
/ ment and encouraging the depart,
ment in their collection, be taker
away. 1t follows that if the res
ident fishing license be levied, re
ceipts therefrom also will go to the
j general state funds.
Governor Christensen, referring
i in his message on economy, to tht
4 departments request for appropria
tons, said, The increase should no
be granted
i Legislators should bear in mine
that in voting on amendment No.
in the last election, Minnesota citi
zens decided by an overwhelmin,
majority that funds paid into tn,
state treasury by motorists in tn,
form of gas taxes must be used t,
maintain the roads. Would tn
people of Minnesota vote that tn,
contrary should be true of gam
and fish conservation concerning
funds pain in as licenses and fees b,
the sportsmen of Minnesota?
81 Pressure is being brought t
bear upon legislators to back tn
economy program. What sort O
economy is it which virtually puts
state conservation department i