SOME OF THE LAWS AND METHODS 

 FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSER- 

 VATION OF LOUISIANA'S FISH 



By E. A. Tulian, Superintendent, State Fisheries De- 

 partment, Neiv Orleans, La. 



I believe that no state in the Union has been provided 

 with better and more far-reaching laws, rules and regu- 

 lations for the protection and conservation of its fishes 

 than the State of Louisiana. Few equal ours in this re- 

 spect. The matter of protecting and conserving the more 

 valuable species of our fresh water fishes, has been given 

 the greater share of attention up to the present time. 

 However, our salt water fishes have not, by any means, 

 been neglcted in this particular. When considering what 

 laws were necessary to obtain these results, the Depart- 

 ment of Conservation, and its predecessors, have invaria- 

 bly given most careful thought and study to the subject of 

 accomplishing the maximum of good with a minumum 

 loss to those dependent upon our fisheries resources for a 

 livelihood. 



Under the laws creating the Department of Conser- 

 vation, the Commissioner is authorized to adopt such 

 needful rules and regulations, not in conflict with any of 

 the provisions of our laws, as may be found necessary 

 for the proper and intelligent administration of all the 

 conservation laws of this state. 



One of the strongest features of our fish laws, from my 

 point of view, is that which limits the kind of nets which 

 may be used in our waters for the taking of the common 

 commercial species of both fresh and salt water fish. 

 This legalizes only two classes of nets, the common hoop- 

 net, and a drag seine not exceeding a certain length, and 

 manufactures of twine having a mesh of a certain size. 

 It is not only unlawful to use trammel-nets, gill-nets, 

 fyke-nets, etc., in our waters, but the law states that it 



