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oers of tish, the law will continue to be violated. We see no remedy 

 at present except, hereafter, to devote a larger portion of the appro- 

 priation in preventing illegal fishing, and in prosecuting offenders 

 against the law. This will require the use of a part of the appro- 

 priation which should be devoted to increasing the number of fish 

 placed in the river. If it is expected that the Commission shall 

 employ special means to enforce an observance of the law, and also 

 employ attorneys to prosecute oft'enders, it is necessary that the 

 appropriation should be increased. It is not now sufiicient for these 

 purposes, and also for the hatching of any large quantity of salmon 

 with which to keep pace with increased fishing and the increasing- 

 numbers of sea lions. We have consulted with many of the fisher- 

 men, and they admit that the law creating a close season should be 

 obeyed, provided all be made to obey it. It is but proper to say, 

 however, that they, at the same time, urge that the close season for 

 salmon (August first to November first) is too long a period. In cor- 

 respondence with one of these men, who has made a business of fish- 

 ing for salmon on the Sacramento and San Joaquin for many years 

 past, as to the necessity for an observance of the law, he says: "I do 

 not wish to be known as urging the enforcement of the law, or as a 

 special informer against any party who has violated it. Mj^ reasons 

 for this reservation affect alike my own peace and safety and that of 

 many persons whom, I know, have no worse intention than to earn 

 a living and obey the law, provided that others, less honest, are pre- 

 vented from violating it with impunity. Your idea of a patrol boat, 

 or boats, with officers, is the correct one, and I firmly believe that if, 

 by this or other means, the prohibition were strictly maintained 

 from Benicia upward, wherever there are practical fishing grounds, 

 during the period of one month at the right time, that the perpetua- 

 tion of salmon in our rivers would be abundantly secured. Between 

 the tenth of August and first of October more than ninety per cent, 

 of the seed run passes, and has not failed to pass, during twenty 

 years of my observation. If the whole of the seed run is not wanted 

 for seed, they ought not to be so used, for the fish is just as good food 

 then as at any other time, only the wastage is something more, the 

 spawn being larger. On the Columbia River I understand that the 

 fall run is almost or quite w^orthless. Not so on the Sacramento. 

 Well, we may be proud of our river; it is the paradise of the sal- 

 mon, and they seem determined to resist the devils — who also seem 

 determined to drive them out — better than could be expected ; but 

 they will need help in the future. The nets for taking them are 

 being multii^lied and improved. The fishing grounds are better 

 known than formerly. Such obstructions as snags in the river bot- 

 tom are less common — many of them having been broken off" or 

 taken up by the nets and put out of the way, or covered by sedi- 

 ment, so that a wider and longer sweep may be taken by the drifting 

 net. Altogether, the salmon is sure to be exterminated, fight he ever 

 so persistently, unless we help him. Surely the State can afi'ord to 

 guard him effectually one month in the year. The cupidity of the 

 fish speculator, who only cares for the greatest number of cases he 

 can pack and ship, should not be allowed to influence the statement 

 of that time. Let it be somewhere between the tenth of August and 

 the first of October. By the way, it seems to me that at the extreme 

 upper waters, on the spawning grounds, the fish should be protected 

 during their entire stay, excepting as needed solely for the purpose 



