22 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



in favor with all concerned. Many of the niicUUe western and eastern 

 states have similar powers, and California has lagged far behind in 

 these matters. 



FUTURE PLANS. 



A detailed study of the financial exliil)it attached to this report will 

 show that at the present time the Fish and Game Commission is annu- 

 ally spending more money than its actual revenue. This is only possible 

 because we at present have a surplus on which to draw. At the expira- 

 tion of the biennial period commencing next July, our surplus will be 

 reduced to approximately $200,000. At that time the Commission will 

 have to prune its budget to its revenue or obtain further funds for we 

 can not further dig into our surplus except for permanent improve- 

 ments or emergencies. If the budget is diminished, many of the new 

 bureaus and activities of the Commission will have to be curtailed. A 

 careful census of public opinion has been made by the Commissioners 

 and the executive officer to determine how the sportsmen feel tow^ard a 

 raise in license fees and, uniformly throughout tlie state without excep- 

 tion, at meetings and otherwise, we are told that the Commission, now 

 having established itself in the contidence of the public, is entitled to 

 a raise in licenses so that it may continue to function and increase 

 its activities. 



A study has l)een made to determine the effect on the number of 

 licenses issued by a raise in the license fees, and I am of the opinion 

 that the maximum return wdth the least loss of privileges to hunters 

 and fishermen can be secured through a license fee of $3 for angling, 

 $3 for hunting, a combined license of $5 for both, a $1 angling license 

 fee for children from fifteen to eighteen, and $1 for certain types 

 of salt water fishing. This increased license fee will furnish us with 

 sufficient revenue to provide for our present needs and nec&ssary 

 expansion. 



A budget has been prepared showing how this increased revenue 

 would be spent. One hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars is 

 necessary for the salaries and expenses of fifty new deputies. New 

 hatchery operations will entail an annual expenditure of $50,000. 

 (During the coming year there will not be sufficient money in the 

 Fish Culture Department's budget to allow for the operation of all of 

 our ncAv hatcheries.) A new game farm will be built in southern Cali- 

 fornia Avhich will cost us $15,000 annually. The Commercial Fisheries 

 Department must extend its laboratories and other facilities. If our 

 upland birds which we propose to plant from our game farms are to 

 thrive and multiply, it is absolutely necessary that game refuges be 

 installed under a system similar to that of Pennsylvania. This is 

 estimated to cost at least $175,000 per year for the purchase, posting 

 and protection of land. 



Eventually this Commission must build up its own crews for the 

 planting of fish. We can not expect sportsmen forever to loan us pack 

 animals and men to carry fish to lakes and streams throughout the 

 state, sometimes as far as the summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

 To establish such a system it is estimated that at least $100,000 will 

 be required annually, and as I have said before, even now there is an 



