628 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



opinion of competent men, are specially suited to the spawning of fine 

 fish ami the development of the young ; 



b. Places of safety for fish, i. e., such portions of water in and before 

 the mouths of rivers as command the entrance of fish from the sea into 

 the inland waters. 



Such localities (a and b) can be declared places of safety by the min- 

 ister of agriculture, after having consulted with all the holders of privi- 

 leges concerned ; in association-districts, with the board of directors. 



The limits of sach places of safety are to be made known to all per- 

 sons concerned by public proclamation ; and they should be, as far as 

 the locality permits, marked by special signs. In these spots, fishing of 

 any kind is entirely prohibited. 



In places of safety for spawning, all disturbances which tend to 

 endanger the propagation of fish, such as their being cleaned out, the 

 mowing of reeds and grass, the carrying away of sand, stones, mud, &c, 

 should be avoided during the spawning season, as far as the tide and the 

 claims of agriculture permit. More detailed regulations on these points 

 as well as on the supervision of places of safety are, if necessary, to be 

 made by the district authorities. 



In selecting places of safety , preference should be given to those bodies 

 of water in which the government has the exclusive fishing-privilege, 

 or in which this has been transferred by law to political communities. 



In these cases, no indemnity is paid for withdrawing the privilege of 

 fishing in the places of safety. 



If, however, the preservation or improvement of the fisheries demands 

 the including of other waters as places of safety, the rights connected 

 with such waters are withdrawn, and the holders of privileges must be 

 fully indemnified from the public treasury ; the amount of such indem- 

 nity, if not mutually agreed on, to be settled by a court of law. . 



If it should no longer be desirable to keep up a place of safety, it can 

 be abolished by an ordinance of the minister of agriculture. In this 

 case, the former laws and privileges regarding fishing come again into 

 force. If, however, an indemnity for the withdrawal of fishing-privileges 

 has been paid from the public treasury, they shall then remain in the 

 possession of the government, (flff 27 to 31.) 



Fish-passes (trout-paths, salmon-ladders, &c.) are considered essential 

 conditions for the lasting preservation of remunerative fisheries. 



The bill makes a distinction between new hydraulic constructions and 

 existing ones which hinder the passage of migratory fish. 



In constructing new hydraulic works, or extending them, the propri- 

 etor has, at his own expense, to make such arrangements as are neces- 

 sary for letting the fish pass through. 



If any such work is only constructed for a certain period of time, e. g., 

 while brooks and small rivers are temporarily dammed for the purpose 

 of irrigating meadow-lauds, or if the passage of migratory fish in the 



