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destruction of our game fishes. We recommend such legislation as 

 will prevent rendering establishments and like institutions from dis- 

 charging their refuse into the streams and lakes of the states. 



Then^ has been considerable controversy and much corresjwndence 

 with the commission relative to the inch and a half mesh for seines 

 and nets now oi)erated by market fishermen in rivers used for com- 

 mercial navigation. This reduction in the size of mesh was advo- 

 cated by the commissioners for various reasons. First, the Ifiw 

 regulates the size of fish that shall be taken and offered for sale. 

 Fishermen are required to return to the water all immature fish. If 

 they comply with this law, the size of the mesh is immaterial. Sec- 

 ond, nothing larger than an inch find a half mesh will take the gar. 

 the most destructive of all fishes. These predatory ganoids gather as 

 sentinels by the thousands at the mouth of every slough and outlet, 

 lying in wait for the bass fry, after the parent fish leaves them to care 

 for themselves. Few escape the onslaught of this army of water 

 pirates. More game fish is annihilated by the gar in one year than 

 violations of every character would annihilate in ten. In December 

 last, John Schulte, of Havana, took, with an inch and a half mesh 

 seine, 35,000 pounds of gar in one haul. It took almost six weeks to 

 destroy them. Mr. Triggs, of Chicago, to whom the commissioners gave 

 permission to take the objectionable fish from the Fox lake region, 

 took 10,000 jjounds of these pests in one haul with the inch and a half 

 mesh seine. Considering the utter worthlessness and destructive 

 habits of this fish, is it not wiser to use tackle that will rid the waters 

 of this enemy that is rapidly depleting our rivers and lakes of the 

 gamey varieties? 



We are frequently petitioned by hunting and fishing clubs to issue 

 them permits to remove the objectionable fish from the lakes and 

 streams controlled by them for preserves. When we are assured that 

 these permits are requested for the sole purpose of eliminating the 

 undesirable fish, and not from mercenary motives, the request is 

 granted. The coiiditions stipulated by the commission are that all 

 fishing must be done under the supervision of a warden appointed by 

 the board, to see that nothing but objectionable fish are taken, and 

 the gamey species returned to the water. Not less than fifty permits 

 have been issued to clubs for this })urpose in the last two years. 



We are anxious to cooperate with the sportsmen, granting them all 

 the privileges that the law places in our power, so that they may be 

 able to remove the undesirable fish that have almost depleted the 

 lakes and ponds of aquatic life so essential to the migratory water 

 fowl. Reports from various clubs are very encouraging. Tons of 

 carp have been taken this season from the Fox Lake region. Similar 

 reports are coming in from other localities. We are in hopes that a 

 few years of strenuous labor in this cause will reduce to the minimum 

 this species in lakes and ponds that are use(^ for preserves. In con- 

 clusion it must be apjoarent to every thoughtful person that the work 

 assigned to this commission is largely eilucational. The people have 

 to learn the vast pecuniary values embodied in our fish supplies and 

 the important part these supplies perform in feeding the people. 



