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REPORT mi -TATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



Unfortunately, there will be a reduced take of eggs from the summer 

 run offish at Baird, owing to the carrying away of the racks during 

 the high water that prevailed in the late spring, which permitted the 

 fish to escape and pass up stream. At the same time, the indications 

 are favorable from the present large fall run to collect another record- 

 breaker. 



It is also a source of gratification to note that our efforts are generally 

 sustained by every one at all conversant with the salmon industry; in 

 other words, the people living along the Sacramento and San Joaquin 

 rivers, many of whom had felt that the salmon law, which maintained 

 a longer close season above tide water, was discriminating against 

 them, are now realizing the wisdom of that restriction, and there is not 

 an intelligent fisherman along the rivers who is not in full accord with 

 the present law, the only exception being to the date established for the 

 commencement of the close season, to wit: September 10th. It is hard 

 for the law-abiding fishermen who have been waiting patiently for the 

 run of salmon to appear, to find that when the harvest is ripe the close 

 season must put an end to their operations, which means that thousands 

 of fish that would otherwise be captured, sold, and used for food, con- 

 tinue on up stream to perform that last act of their lives, — reproduction 

 of species. When it is recalled, however, that the natural spawning 

 grounds of the rivers in this state are practically wiped out, and that 

 the only possible source for increase of fish is through the medium of 

 hatcheries, it can be readily appreciated that nothing should be done 

 which would tend to reduce the take of eggs to the danger point; yet, as 

 we can collect a larger number of eggs than can be properly handled, 

 we believe the time has arrived when an additional five days of open 

 season will prove of benefit to the people of the State, and not interfere 

 with the output of the young salmon from the hatcheries. 



The following table represents the number of cases of Sacramento 

 River salmon packed since 1890, and shows an encouraging increase: 



THE TROUT LAW. 



We have had two years more in which to observe the effect of the 

 present trout law, which opens the season on April 1st, and desire to 

 reaffirm the recommendation made to you two years ago, that the 

 opening date for the taking of trout be changed from April 1st to May 



