16 DEPARTMENT OP PISH AND GAME 



factors, the total cost of each cock in the hunter's bag- was considerably 

 higher. 



Commissioners adopted a far-reaching plan which eventually will cut 

 by 50 percent the State 's former game farm output of more than 100,000 

 young birds a year. Hereafter adult birds only will be planted in suit- 

 able habitat, and where the wild breeding stock is below capacity. Much 

 like the deer management j)lan, the bold, unprecedented steps appear 

 drastic, but they can only result in better hunting and a better account- 

 ing of the sportsman's license dollar. 



Among the many actions taken by the commission during the bien- 

 nium, two others must be mentioned. Commissioners went on record in 

 opposition to the reduction of anchovies into commercial oils and meals, 

 and set up a new policy governing the harvest of kelp off the Southern 

 California coast which protects both fish life and the kelp beds. 



At the start of this biennium, the members of the California Fish and 

 Game Commission were : 



Harvey E. Hastain, President-. Brawley 



Lee F. Payne Los Angeles 



Paul Denny Etna 



Edwin L. Cartv Oxnard 



William J. Silva_. .-Modesto 



Following the resignation of Edwin L. Carty on September 6, 1950, 

 the Governor appointed Carl F. Wente of San Francisco to fill the 

 vacancy. 



At the close of the biennium, the membership of the commission was 

 as follows : 



Paul Denny, President; Lee F. Payne, Harvey E. Hastain, William 

 J. Silva, Carl F. Wente. 



E. L. Macaulay served as executive officer of the commission until 

 September 22, 1951, when the Charles Brown Reorganization Act became 

 effective. At that time, he returned to his permanent civil service posi- 

 tion as Chief of the Bureau of Patrol and Law Enforcement. 



William J. Harp left his post as Assistant Chief of Patrol and Law 

 Enforcement in May, 1952, to accept the appointment as assistant to 

 the commission, an exempt position. 



1HE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 



Perhaps in no other legislative session during the last 75 years have 

 so many significant bills affecting California fish and game and its 

 administration been passed as in 1951. Legislators made notable progress 

 in the fields of sportsman conduct and safety, protection of the rights 

 and property of landowners, administrative operation of the outmoded 

 Division of Fish and Game, and the controversial licensed game bird 

 club laws. 



The late Lester T. Davis, Assemblyman from the Second District, con- 

 tributed much toward safer hunting in California and improved rela- 

 tions with ranchers by his successful sponsorship of bills to punish 

 offenders for carrying of loaded guns in vehicles, hunting while intoxi- 

 cated, causing property damage while hunting or fishing, shooting 



