112 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



Incidentals of our publicity work, are announcements of laws, sea- 

 sons, changes in the natural conditions; general information service to 

 sportsmen ; cooperation with such sterling organizations as the Auto- 

 mobile Club of Southern California, Los Angeles Athletic Club, and 

 sportsmen's clubs in general. It has been an extensive service. This 

 Los Angeles office never has lost sight of the peculiar and direct rela- 

 tion that exists between the sportsmen and their Fish and Game Com- 

 mii':«ion; our slogan has been "service"; and so far as the physical and 

 tinancial limitations placed upon us have permitted, our efforts con- 

 sistently have been to make of this work a helpful stimulant of that 

 wholesome outdoor enthusiasm which has done so much to bring people 

 to California and keep them healthy and happy here. It has meant 

 much work and activities that in a narrower interpretation of our 

 duties might have been evaded; but on the whole, the warm and per- 

 sonal regard with which our southern sportsmen as a cla.ss appear to 

 consider this Connnission has been no small reward in itself. 



Internal cooperation with our several departments, as a matter of 

 course has been continuous and complete. Activities of the southern 

 division in regulation of commercial fisheries, necessarily have been 

 both comprehensive and considerable. In particular, the regidation 

 of reduction to fertilizer, fish-meal, fish-oil, etc., by the fish-packing 

 industry, and general patrol of our commercial fisheries alongshore and 

 in town, while primarily responsibilities of our Commercial Fisheries 

 Department, and properly a charge upon its special revenues, have 

 called for and received our constant cooperation. 



Cooperation with the Department of Fishculture in arranging for 

 the distribution and planting of trout fry, protection of spawn sources 

 from every manner of ill-advised menace, such as agitations to plant 

 ))ass in trout lakes; "holding fish" to six-inch size before liberation, 

 and similar advocations of the inexperienced or uninformed, all have 

 l)een among the daily activities of your southern division headcpiarters. 

 So likewise has been the protection of the plantings by enforcing the 

 screening of ditches, canals and other diversions of trout-carrying 

 water. In Inyo and Mono counties, even up into the wilds of Alpine, 

 the larger ditch and canal owners are bringing their diversions of water 

 wilhin the law. Thus far, this has been accomplished without prose- 

 cution, l^argc concerns cheerfully and promptly comply with every 

 reciuest made. For those which do not, the demonstrated success ot 

 injunction proceedings remains as a last resort. Gradually, the idea 

 is s))rea(liiig that wliosoevcn- is served with ordcr-s to screen, nnist comjjly 

 in the end. iublic sentiment has responded encouragingly to plain 

 presentations of the facts. While much remains yet to do, the accom- 

 plishments of the hist biennial period give ground for believing that 

 the increasing development of water for power ami irrigation can be 

 so bandh'd as not to impci-il fish and fisliing, but rather to enhance 

 sport of the future. 



Respectfully submitted. 



Edwin L. IIedderlv, 



I ti Cliarge. 



