124 Tzucitty-scz'citth Annual Meeting 



The people must know the reasons for the fish and game 

 laws and that they are not designed for the especial benefit of the 

 fishermen, but for all the people. There should be no protective 

 law — no close season on fish and game without a good reason 

 for it. When the people are convinced that as a matter of polit- 

 ical economy fish and game must be protected, they should under- 

 stand that the laws are framed with especial reference to the 

 habits of each species thus protected. Take, by way of illustra- 

 tion, the statutory limit on fish which can be legally caught — 

 the six-inch law on trout, for example. All the people should 

 know tiiat trout will not reproduce in our streams until they have 

 arrived at an age when they will have attained a growth of six 

 inches or more. They would then understand that if allowed 

 to be taiight before they are six inches long, reproduction ceases 

 and with the excessive fishing now prevalent, all trout will be 

 killed before arriving at the age of reproduction and total ex- 

 termination follows. Artificial propagation and stocking can- 

 not replenish the waste. The same rule applies to the statutory 

 limit on salmon, lobsters, etc. The statutory limit for each 

 •species to be legally caught should be one which will permit 

 natiiral reproduction at least once before capture or there is little 

 argument for the law. 



When the league was organized eight years ago, public sen- 

 timent was at a low ebb so far as fish and game interests were 

 concerned. With its inception, an appropriation for a State 

 hatchery was secured and liberal appropriations for its mainte- 

 nance and extension have followed. Through the interest 

 awakened by the league, a national hatchery was located in \'"er- 

 mont. The game laws, wdiich were in a wretched condition, were 

 codified and revised by a committee from members of the league, 

 presented to the legislature in the form of a bill which at the same 

 time rejjealed all existing legislation of the same nature and be- 

 came a law almost without a dissenting vote. Our legislators are 

 beginning to consider it a matter of political economy that these 

 interests should be fostered and the league loses no opportunity 

 to present to the public and to the skeptic the arguments which 

 will appeal to their pockets. 



I W'Ould not have you think that our laws are perfect or that 

 wha*^ has been accomplished was attained without hard work on 

 the part of the administrative force of the league. We have 

 asked of our legislature what we thought we could obtain. As 

 public sentiment increases, more desirable legislation will be 

 asked for. 



