COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 



To His Excellency, John R. Tanner, Governor: 



We beg leave to submit herewith our report as Board of State 

 Fish Commissioners for the two years ending September 80, 1900. 



The two seasons passed since our last report have been, in some 

 respects, the most eventful and profitable in the history of the com- 

 mission. The commercial phase of the fishing industry has been won- 

 derfully developed, and has taken its place among the larger of the 

 legitimate business interests of the State. Large areas of water, hith- 

 erto of comparatively no value, have been leased or purchased for 

 the purposes of fishing, and become part of the valid possessions of 

 the fish dealer. Fish are not now, as formerly, marketed as soon as 

 caught, but are placed in enclosures or pens and held to await a fair 

 market price. The economy of this method has been demonstrated, 

 as it provides against the inevitable loss following forced sales in an 

 overstocked market. 



The attention of the fishermen themselves is being drawn to the 

 necessity of a longer close season, or at least, to the fact that seining 

 during the hot months of July and August is unprofitable. In fact, 

 the experience of practical men engaged in the business has demon- 

 strated the necessity of prescribing some limit to the drain on the 

 waters if the supply of the future is to be preserved, and they will join 

 with the commission in a request for such legislation as will better 

 protect the fish during the summer months as well as during the 

 spawning season. The whole history of the enactment of laws for the 

 protection and preservation of fish has been one of education, the 

 outgrowth of knowledge gained by experience and experiments. For 

 many years it has been the practice to take fish whenever or wher- 

 ever they could be caught, regardless of time or condition, the the- 

 ory seeming to be that today was productive of certain results, to- 

 morrow might be doubtful. In this way tons of fish were taken be- 

 cause they could be easily obtained, and usually a large proportion 

 went to waste for lack of a market, it being impossible to hold them 

 long owing to their perishable nature. Practical business men, with 

 foresight to realize the possibilities of this industry, have gone into 

 it with the purpose of making the greatest possible amount of money 

 out of It, and they have seen the importance of guarding the souffce 

 of supply to an extent beyond that heretofore asked in legislation 

 even by your board. 



