6 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



the entrance to all irrigating ditches in the State. What is necessary 

 elsewhere, is indispensable here, and we recommend the passage of a law 

 here similar to the following law in the State of Wyoming upon this 

 subject: 



Any person or persons, corporation or corporations owning in whole or in part, or leas- 

 ing, operating, or having in charge any mill-race, irrigating ditch, or canal, taking or 

 receiving its water from any river, creek, or stream in this territory in which fish has been 

 placed or may exist, shall put or cause to be placed and maintained over the inlet of siich 

 ditch, canal, or mill-race a wire screen of such construction, fineness, strength, or quality 

 as shall prevent any such fish from entering such ditch, canal, or mill race, when requested 

 to do so by the Fish Commissioner. 



Any person or persons, corporation or corporations violating the provisions of the pre- 

 ceding section, or who shall neglect or refuse to provide, put up, and maintain such screen, 

 in accordance with the provisions of the preceding section, shall be guilty of a misde- 

 meanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars, 

 and not more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not 

 exceeding thirty days for each offense ; provided, that the continuance by any person of 

 such neglect or refusal from day to day after notification in writing shall constitute a 

 separate and distinct offense for each and every day of the continuance of such neglect 

 or refusal; provided further, that no offense shall be committed by reason of such screens 

 not over the inlet of any ditch, canal, or mill-race when water is not entering the same. 



LAWS RECOMMENDED. 



We desire to renew the recommendations contained in our last bien- 

 nial report, to wit: 



" The close season for salmon should be enlarged. It is now between 

 the thirtieth day of August and the first day of October. It should be 

 from the first day of August to the first day of October. The Commis- 

 sion earnestly recommends legislative remedial action to prevent the 

 destruction of fish by seals and sea lions. We further recommend that 

 the License Act be amended so as to declare the penalty for its violation. 

 We also recommend that a law be passed providing for the confiscation 

 and destruction of all unlawful nets, seines, and traps of any description 

 found in use. The possession of fish out of season, or fish of under size, 

 should be made a misdemeanor. Some legislation should be had regard- 

 ing the taking of immature fish, and defining ' immature fish,' at least 

 so far as it concerns salmon, shad, sturgeon, and trout." 



DEER. 



We recommend that the killing of deer be prohibited absolutely for 

 the next two years, and also the having in possession the skin of any 

 deer for the same time. This is rendered necessary because of the great 

 loss of these animals during the extremely severe weather of the last 

 two winters, as well as their indiscriminate slaughter in some localities 

 by hunters who defy the law with impunity. With these men, nothing 

 save the heavy hand of the law can be made effective. 



JOSEPH ROUTIER, 

 J. DOWNEY HARVEY, 



Fish Commissioners. 



