TWENTY-SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 15 



INVESTIGATIONS. 



Satisfactory bases for legislation can not be obtained without depend- 

 able data, secured through seientilie research. The Commission has 

 maintained a fisheries laboratory, the staff of which is definitely engaged 

 in the securing of satisfactory data on the fast developing fisheries 

 of the state. Results of the tuna investigation are now ready for publi- 

 cation, and effort is being concentrated upon the sardine investigation. 

 Need for more accurate data on the life history of the salmon has 

 precipitated some valuable experiments on the marking of salmon fry 

 and the conseciuent stuch^ of the returned fish and much valuable infor- 

 ]uation has already been obtained. Need for more information on the 

 food habits of ducks, looking toward the artificial planting of suitable 

 duck foods has led to an examination of hundreds of stomachs of ducks 

 and the analysis of the contents. 



LAW ENFORCEMENT. 



A goodly proportion of funds received are allotted to law enforce- 

 ment. Yet seventy deputies have to patrol 156,000 square miles of 

 territorj', much of it mountainous. It is obvious that it is impossible 

 for this comparatively small force to apprehend every violator of fish 

 and game laws. Still the average cases per year per deputy was six- 

 teen, showing that deputies were actively engaged in patrol. When one 

 considers that 1500 policemen patrol San Francisco, an area of 40 square 

 miles, and still violations of law occur daily, it is surprising how" effec- 

 tive is the work of the game wardens who often patrol one or more 

 counties. 



Arrests for violations of the game laws totaled 1221. Of this number 

 1108 were convicted. The fines collected amounted to $33,998.80 in addi- 

 tion to 1289 days of imprisonment awarded. Arrests for violations of 

 state fish laws totaled 1037 from which there were 983 convictions. Fines 

 collected amounted to $29,028.50 and offenders were awarded a total 

 of 994 days of imprisonment. The total number of arrests amounted to 

 2258, nearly 400 more than reported in 1920. 



During the biennium a large amount of illegally taken fish and game 

 was seized. The totals are of interest : over two tons of deer meat ; 4500 

 ducks ; 500 quail : 25 tons of fish, and about 12 tons of lobsters and shell- 

 fish. All wholesome fish and game was donated to public and charitable 

 institutions and many grateful letters of acknowledgement luive been 

 received. Considerable illegally used fishing apparatus, which was 

 seized, after l)eing condemned in superior court, has been destroyed or 

 sold by the Board in accordance with law. 



The wardens of the law enforcement force are all skilled and competent 

 and exercise a high degree of judgment, so necessary in enforcing our 

 laws. Many of them are not college bred or educated ; some diamonds in 

 the rough, sons of hardy i)ioneers who were taught j-esourcefulness ; all 

 capable and self-reliant, with sense and sound judgment of what is right 

 and capable of caring for themselves under all conditions. The high 

 degree of efficiency obtained is the result of love for thcii' work, for tlie 

 salaries are not alluring, while the dangers are many. 



