86 American Fisheries Society 



mulation of an entirely new code of fish and game laws, 

 which it will present for the consideration of the 1913 

 session of the legislature with a view to its substitution for 

 all existing laws now in force. 



As indicated in the beginning of this report, the members 

 of the State Board of Fish and Game Commissioners re- 

 ceive only nominal money compensation. Their salaries are 

 fixed at five dollars each per day while actually in session, 

 with a proviso that the annual compensation of each mem- 

 ber shall not exceed one hundred dollars. The citizens who 

 have undertaken this work cannot, therefore, be suspected 

 of selfish motives. They are indeed actuated solely by a 

 hope that they may by their efforts help to improve gener- 

 ally the conditions which relate to the game birds and mam- 

 mals of the state and also the fishing, either for profit or 

 sport, within the waters of the state. They know that the 

 conservation of the game resources of the state may be 

 made a mighty asset. The commercial fishing interest of 

 the state has been, and still is, about the third in magnitude 

 of all its productive industries. Faulty laws and inefficient 

 enforcement of the laws have decreased this industry and 

 threatened it with extinction. The Board hopes by its 

 efforts to check the deterioration of this industry and, by 

 stimulating artificial propagation, improve the supply of 

 valuable food fishes naturally inhabiting the waters of the 

 state. 



Fishing for sport has long been recognized as one of 

 the most pleasant forms of out-of-door recreation indulged 

 in by mankind. The angling in the waters of Oregon hag 

 long been celebrated for its excellence. But the encroach- 

 ments of civilization, combined with the lax enforcement 

 of faulty laws, has caused a rapid deterioration in the angling 

 conditions, and the devotees of angling were beginning to 

 look forward to a time not far distant when the catching of 

 real wild game fish within the boundaries of this state 

 would be a thing of the past. The object and hope of the 

 Board towards the sport of angling is that by vigorous stim- 



