ber, ir was estimated that fully nine thousand fish were thrown back into the river, thus wa 

 for want of purchasers. 



An unusual circumstance, this season, connected with fishing; on the Sacramento River. 

 been a large run of salmon during the pr< nth (December), boats averaging from forty 



to fifiv fish per day, when from five to ton were the catch in prior years. A- the canneries 

 all closed, and an abundant supply salted for the present year, a very large number of these 

 qoh will probably reach their spawning grounds, at the headwaters of the Sacramento 



During the close season, between August 1, and Sep*- L 5, the law was openly violated 



by the fishermen, who del tion for the oflfenset jonswhowere 



were tab 3 ' mty, where no conviction could be had, it being 



sd that public opin law. That the close season was openly and 



itly violated by the fishermen on the Sacramento an [uin Rivers was a matter 



of notoriety, and parties, well informed, stated that the number of salmon taken, in violation of 

 law, and salted and smoked, was in ex< ind city mai 



during the legal season. As an ill number thus tak of credi- 



bilil ■!' two fishermen (owning 



veen them) selling wo hundred barrels salted sal- 



mon, which is equal to lour thousand salmon, or more than the united catch of three average 

 it 1. 

 Am that salmon were taken frequently illinsville on the 



Sacramento River, and also in the S tin River, during the close season, in daylight, with- 



out any atten Iment. I >w lying on the wharf at 



mid-day, during I Joaquin River, from 



hundred to Bix hundred salmon, tb ie same, regardless of who 



might them. 



Though the price of salmon ruled low (from one dollar ami t. . ue dollar and ten 



>nd I. mding, < !ontra 

 i County, were actively employed during tie- p n. The 



irtland, Chipp's Island, Smith's River, and Eel Iii v<r : two at Col 

 , and four in I. From what I can learn, a -imilar 



number will probably be employed dui on havii I ken 



for that purpose. A amongthe probabilities, 



rse circum s probable that mo inned 



in this State during 1881 than in any previ ild the catch justify it, other can- 



city mi-. in the trade. '1 they 



employing skilled lab during tb , while the time of 



the canneries on the river nly limited, but which it 



is difficult ge workn 



As all i with the tab to the ( 



deem it right to advia Bed, regarding 



the present law of this ! mplain that the - □ in the 



rhtofthe run of salmon puts them to large additional expense, as compared with th< 

 on the Columbia, and other salmon ri th; that at pi - ramento and 



Joaquin Rivers, the canneries have a suppl non for about six weeks only, as during the 



ter part of June and July the run is very uncertain: during which, they have to be at the 

 if there was full work for their employes; that not] to the State 



by the close s ason, as salmon are taken in large quantities by the fishermen, in defiance of the 

 law; that the fishermen, after ha\ the expense and labor of salting the salmon so 



taken, receive a 1 for them than what would be paid them if it were lawful to sell them 



to the canneries; that while the canneries pay thirty-five cents for the fish delivered to them, 

 the fishermen sell their salted salmon, delivered in this city, at from I twenty-five cents 



i ; that allowing; for salt, labor, and freight, the salted salmon net the fishermen from ten to 

 id of thirty-five cents paid at the canneries. 

 The canners claim that while the present law against taking salmon in the close season is a 

 dead letter, from inability to enforce it, that modifications can be made for their benefit without 

 injury to the best in - 31 te. Their desire is to have the close season for taking 



salmon limited to thirty-six hours each week, extending from Saturday noon to Monday morn- 

 ing, claiming that this time bei u ir observed, sufficient -pawning fish will reach the head waters 

 of the Sacramento River to furnish all the eggs required to keep up the supply. They ask that 

 this may be done, pl< ring n enforcing the law. which they will be abl 



do by refusing to take any fish taken during the close time: that if this change is made, and 

 the result is not satisfactory, after trial, to the Coinm  -. they, the canners, will not oppose 



a reenactment of the | I iw, if the former desire it. To aid in keeping up the supply of 



salinon, the canners propose to have all the boats taking salmon licensed, and if need be the 

 canners also; that the sum so collected be paid to the Fish Commission as a fund to be expended 

 in hatching out salmon to keep up the supply: that the boats being licensed will keep out 

 poachers, who will be easily detected if the licensed boats are properly marked with large 

 figures to insure identification: that at the present time all fishing boats being of the same 

 in idel, and painted of the same color, it is practically impossible to identify them, and they 

 can be and are loaned to other parties who violate the law without liability to confiscation. 



I have taken the liberty of writing thus fully the views of the canners. so that the Commis- 

 sioners may be advised of the same before the meeting of the State Legislature, next month. 



