16 DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 



Three new motion pictures were produced during the biennium. "Tomorrow's Salmon and Steel- 

 head" is the story of the destruction of spa\\'ning beds by careless or uninformed loggers. Designed 

 to point out a particular problem, the picture has served to highlight the problem so well that log- 

 ging firms have begun to take remedial measures to prevent future pollution of spawning gravels. 

 The department now plans to expand this picture to include pollution from other sources. 



"Fish in the Sea — facts and fancies" tells the story of ocean research and the problems involved. 

 It was completed toward the end of the period, but already has been widely booked and well received. 

 "The Sea Otter" ^\^as completed in the last month of the biennium. It depicts the story of a scarce 

 resources and the need to protect it from human depredations. 



In production as the period closed were films on water development and pollution control problems. 



Reaching the Future Sportsmen 



To reach the school children of today who are the sportsmen of tomorrow, the department uses 

 several approaches. One consists of visits by personnel to schools to discuss particular or general 

 problems involved in fish and game work. The other is by means of department-produced or depart- 

 ment-reviewed literature, and the motion pictures. 



The four species identification handbooks have been made available to schools through the Docu- 

 ments Section, Printing Division, at nominal cost. They have been well accepted and are gaining in 

 popularity. Natural science books, which contain chapters on fish and game conservation, are passed 

 on by the Department of Education for review before they are published. This presents the depart- 

 ment with the opportunity to learn how much conservation material is going to schools and to add 

 to it, if necessary. 



HUNTER SAFETY PROGRAM 



Inaugurated in 1954, the hunter safety program passed two big milestones during the biennium. 



Late in the period the 100,000th student passed through the training program and received his 

 certificate of completion of the hunter safety training course. 



California was accorded an international honor for having the outstanding program of 1957 among 

 the states and Canadian provinces by the International Association of Game, Fish and Conservation 

 Commissioners. The award, sponsored by the National Rifle Association, is a beautiful plaque known 

 as the "NRA Hunter Safety Award." 



Volunteer Instructors Are Key to Successful Program 



Most of the credit for achieving both milestones is due to the 2,600 volunteer instructors who 

 serve without pay to instruct students, and to the National Rifle Association who assisted with 

 materials and organization plans to set up the program. 



The program began July 1, 1954, the eflfective date of a hunter safety law which requires comple- 

 tion of a course in safe handling of firearms as a condition for obtaining a hunting license for persons 

 under 16. 



Organized in the Conservation Education Section of the department, the program is co-ordinated 

 on the local level by game wardens who guide the work of the volunteer instructors. A hunter 

 safety training officer at headquarters co-ordinates the program. 



The program consists of four hours of instruction and results in a certificate of completion awarded 

 to the student upon successfully completing the course. 



It is credited with having a great deal to do with the reduction in California hunting casualties 

 from a total of 132 in 1955 to 79 in 1957. Since the program began, its effects have been apparent 

 not only among youngsters, but adult hunters as well. 



