]() FISH AND GAilE COMMISSION 



Commission to reduce the size of the herds in these several areas to 

 conform with the range carrying capacity and thereby relieve agri- 

 culture of the damage which it suffers. "We believe that this report on 

 the deer situation is applicable to most of our other species of both 

 fish and game. 



Our records indicate that in spite of the individual catch per man 

 of trout having declined somewhat, the total catch has been maintained 

 to a remarkable degree. We must never lose sight of the fact that the 

 amount of fish we produce annually is dependent upon the amount of 

 water and food in our lakes and streams and regardless of the demand 

 we of course can not exceed our capacity to produce. 



Waterfowl particularly have sho^^Ti a remarkable recovery under 

 careful management. Wliile this particular species of game is migra- 

 tory in nature and not solely a product of California, our State-ovsnied 

 and operated refuges have contributed much to the recovery of this 

 game in numbers. 



We regret to report to you that during the biennium we have 

 sulTered some very substantial losses in our hatcheries through food 

 conditions Avhich prevailed in the winter of 1987 and 1938. Cold 

 Creek Hatchery located in Mendocino County was lost entirely. The 

 Forest Home Hatchery in San Bernardino County, which was a large 

 institution supplying all of southern California, w"as damaged beyond 

 repair. The Commission is now studying locations for the replacement 

 of both of these hatcheries. 



We likewise regret to report that in spite of the diligent efforts 

 of your Commission, through the failure to obtain adequate legisla- 

 tion we have failed to stop the overexploitation of several of our major 

 commercial species, particularly the sardine and mackerel. However, 

 we did obtain the cooperation of the canninu' interests in establishing 

 a voluntary closed season on mackerel for several months during the 

 spring of 1938, which was a definite step forward in the conservation 

 of this species. The sardine must wait for its protection until such 

 time as the people of the State by their vote at the polls give adequate 

 laws to effect their conservation. 



The four outstanding accomplishments which the Commission has 

 concentrated upon for this biennium are : 



1. The establishment of a definite fiscal policy. 



2. The establishment of a policy and system for recruit- 

 ing and training personnel in cooperation with the State 

 Personnel Board. 



3. The establishment of the California Junior Game 

 Patrol which program is educational in its nature for the 

 benefit of the young of California. 



4. The establishment of an extensive system of predatory 

 animal control which has laid the foundation for coopera- 

 tion between the Fish and Game Commission and the agricul- 

 tural interests of the State upon which we hope there may be 

 built a farmer-sportsman relationship which can be extended 

 to the production of game, 1he management of range and a 

 satisfactory improvement in relationship between these two 

 groups ami utilization of the lands of the State for the benefit 

 of both. 



