REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



During the past biennium, appointments made to the Fish and Game 

 Commission under the constitutional amendment adopted November, 

 1940, resulted in the following changes in personnel in the commission : 



H. L. Ricks appointed March 6, 1944; vice Edwin L. Carty, term 



expired January 15, 1943. 

 Dom A. Civitello appointed March 15, 1944 ; vice Germain Bulcke, 



term expired January 15, 1944. 



Due to the war, unusual problems were presented to the Fish and 

 Game Commission for its action. They shall be itemized briefly here as 

 more detail is contained in the reports of the bureau chiefs which follow. 



Recommended closing of large portion of the State in Southern Cali- 

 fornia to deer hunting. This originated by a request of the General of 

 the "Western Defense Command to the Governor requesting such closures 

 due to fire hazard. 



In 1943, a portion of Lassen and Modoc Counties was opened to 

 antelope hunting for the period September lltli to September 20th and 

 in 1944 from September 8th to September 17th. 



In 1943, due to the closure of a large portion of the State to deer 

 hunting due to fire hazard, and finding that deer had increased in certain 

 areas to such an extent that a surplus thereof existed, a special hunting 

 season for deer was declared for the period December 11, 1943, to Decem- 

 ber 31, 1943. 



Also due to the stress of the times, it was found necessary for the 

 Fish and Game Commission to enact regulations controlling the sardine 

 fishing fleet during 1943. The ensuing year, this work was conducted 

 by the office of the Coordinator of Fisheries of the Federal Government, 

 created by an Executive Order of the President of the United States. 



The work of the Fish and Game Commission was greatly handicapped 

 by lack of personnel, but despite this shortcoming, we are proud to report 

 that more fish were produced in the hatcheries and more game birds 

 reared at the State game farms than in previous years. 



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