FISHERIES OF WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 325 



REGULATIONS AFFECTING THE SALMON FISHERY. 

 WASHINGTON. 



The laws of 1890 and 1893, which were in force at the time of the 

 investigation by Dr. Wakeham and the writer in 1895, contained a few 

 excellent measures, but their application being limited by a decision of 

 the court to Puget Sound in its restricted sense, the more northern 

 waters of the State were practically left without regulations. It is 

 understood that this unfortunate condition has been remedied, and sub- 

 sequent acts of the State legislature, passed in 1897 and in 1899, have 

 introduced many very stringent and commendable regulations regard- 

 ing the manner of fishiug and the localities where the different methods 

 may be used. There is still lacking, however, an adequate close-season 

 law. The latest regulations did not come to the attention of the writer 

 until after the completion of this paper, a fact which will serve to 

 explain the omission of fuller reference to them in the appropriate 

 places. The measures now in force relating specially to the preserva- 

 tion of the salmon in the Puget Sound region are briefly summarized 

 below, the year in which each act was passed being also given: 



All that part of tide waters emptying into the Strait of Fuca, and the bays, inlets, 

 streams, and estuaries thereof, shall be known and designated as Puget Sound. (1890.) • 



The use of pound nets, traps, weirs, fish wheels, and other fixed appliances, purse 

 nets, drag and other seines, set and drift gill nets is permitted in the waters of Puget 

 Sound and its tributaries as provided below. (1897.) 



All fishing by nets and fixed appliances is subject to license, a separate license 

 being required for each piece of apparatus. Licenses are issued only to citizens of 

 the United States who are residents of Washington. Each person, firm, or corpora- 

 tion is entitled to only three licenses. (1897.) 



The use of pound nets, traps, weirs, fish wheels, and other fixed appliances, except 

 set lines, for the purpose of catching salmon, is prohibited in all rivers flowing into 

 Puget Sound and outside of said rivers within 3 miles of their mouths; also in 

 Deception Pass or within one-half mile of its western entrance, and in any other 

 salt waters of the State at a greater depth than 65 feet at low tide. (1897.) 



It is unlawful to use any purse net or other like seine within 3 miles and drag 

 seine within 1 mile from the mouth of any river flowing into Puget Sound or within 

 said rivers. (1899.) 



No seine location the title to which is in the State shall occupy a greater space 

 than twice the length of the seine covered by the license. (1899.) 



No lead of any pound net, trap, fish wheel, or other fixed appliance for the catch- 

 ing of salmon in Puget Sound shall exceed 2,-500 feet in length. Tliere shall be an 

 end passageway of at least 600 feet and a lateral passageway of at least 2,400 feet 

 between all pound nets, traps, weirs, or other fixed appliances. (1897.) 



Between all set gill nets there shall be a lateral passageway of at least 300 feet 

 and an end passageway of 30 feet. (1899.) 



No fishing appliance or device of any kind located or used upon any streams or 

 rivers shall, either by a lead or any parts of said appliance, occupy more than one- 

 third the width of such streams or rivers. (1899.) 



The meshes in all pound nets, traps, weirs, fish wheels, or other fixed appliances 

 for the capture of salmon shall measure not less than 3 inches in extension. (1897.) 



