Report of the Director 



Now homes for ftsb! Marine Resources personnel supervise lowering of old car bodies on barges for dumping in offshore ocean areas barren of sport 

 fish. This program wos initialed by the Department of Fish and Came to investigate the possibilities of improving ocean sport fishing. 



— Fish and Game Photo 



Substantial gains in wildlife conservation which will have far-reaching effects on the generations 

 of anglers and hunters yet unborn highlighted the many Department of Fish and Game activities 

 during the biennium. 



A marine habitat improvement project, designed to improve ocean sport fishing, was started in 

 May, 1958. 



Gillnets, which were the last remaining obstacles to salmon on their spawning runs up the Sacra- 

 mento and San Joaquin Rivers, were removed by legislative action. 



Wildlife conservation received a further boost when the Legislature directed the State Water 

 Rights Board to consider all beneficial uses of water, including fish, wildlife and recreation, in its 

 deliberations. 



Public access to fishing and hunting was accelerated when the Wildlife Conservation Board shifted 

 its program to concentrate on these problems. 



The department brought its case for more water for salmon in the San Joaquin River before the 

 State Water Rights Board in the Friant Dam hearing, under way at the close of the period. 



The department began to study ways and means of improving both state-owned and privately- 

 owned waterfowl habitat. 



[9] 



