38 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



and I know that the Fish Commission cannot properly attend to both. 

 It is to the State's best interests, in my opinion, to have the work divided; 

 each one will then receive more attention." 



The Fish Commissioner of North Dakota says: "I do not think one 

 commission can supervise both divisions with saving to the State. Its 

 best interests, in my opinion, will be promoted by placing efficient officers 

 at the head of the two departments." 



The State of Maine has divided the work by creating two commis- 

 sions, that of Inland Fisheries and Game, having three members, and 

 the Commission of Coast and Sea Fisheries, composed of one member. 

 They each receive a salary of $1,000 a year, with necessary expenses. 

 The Commissioners of Inland Fisheries and Game are allotted an appro- 

 priation of $25,000 besides, and the Commissioner of Coast and Sea 

 Fisheries has a special appropriation for his use. The former commis- 

 sion appoints the necessary number of wardens, who receive $2 per day 

 and expenses for every day actually employed. One of the Commis- 

 sioners writes: "The value of fish and game is estimated at $3,000,000 

 annually. The fish are of more value to Maine than her game — twice 

 as much, I should say. One half of our appropriation is expended in 

 the protection of the game, which is increasing very rapidly, especially 

 the deer, which I honestly believe are more numerous than sheep. I 

 have been on the commission since 1872, At the start the appropria- 

 tion was only $1,200 per year; since then it has gradually increased, 

 and to-day the fish and game is one of the first, if not the first interest 

 in the State, and brings in more revenue according to the money 

 expended than any other interest we have. What we are doing the 

 most of at present is the stocking of new lakes with new varieties of fish." 



Many of the conditions existing in this State are different from those 

 existing in the States referred to, and for that reason we cannot pursue 

 the policy followed by any one of them. Situated as we are, on the 

 borders of an ocean, rich in fish beyond compare, with two great rivers 

 emptying into large bays, and with countless lakes and streams among 

 the mountains, we certainly have greater natural facilities for the pres- 

 ervation and propagation of fish than any other State in the Union. 



The figures given in this report testify to the fact that the value of 

 our fisheries, under the supervision which the State Boards of Fish Com- 

 missioners have given them, are increasing; and that, under a continu- 

 ance of this policy, the State must take the rank which is properly hers 

 and continue to build up an industry which will make returns a thou- 

 sandfold. 



The natural conditions of our State are also most favorable for game, 

 and yet we are not giving the question of its preservation the attention 

 it is receiving at the hands of most of the other States. It does not 

 behoove the State to continue to neglect the game interests. We should 



