14 



of pounds of very small fish were taken, and these were placed on the 

 marki^t, but this practice has been broken up and the lake front is 

 practically clear of those devices now. 



Calumet lake and river have offered great temptation to the fisher- 

 men in the way of illegal fishing, and in consequence, large numbers 

 of seines and nets have been taken from these waters. The under- 

 sized fish that are found in the hands of the dealers are taken and 

 sent to the various charitable institutions of the county in which 

 they are taken, and a recei^^t is giv^-n to the dealer from whom they 

 are taken and a receipt is taken from the institution receiving them, 

 both receijots being filed in our office. It is biit just to say that the 

 dealers with but few exceptions, give up such fish willingly. 



The violations of the law in Lake Michigan have greatly decreased 

 latterly, at least, in that portion under the jurisdiction of the State of 

 Illinois. Our commission has been working jointly with that of 

 Michigan in the enforcement of the laws, and with good results. The 

 decrease in the offerings of small fish has been quite marked, and the 

 result will be perceptible in its effect on the future supply. 



The South Water street dealers, as a rule, are now in sympathy 

 with our work and have notified all shippers that undersized fish will 

 not be accepted. 



Taken as a whole, the commissioners have reason to feel that great 

 advancement has been made. A better understanding exists with 

 dealers and fishermen, and a great industry is being protected and 

 promoted, while at the same time the interests of anglers are directly" 

 benefitted in the j)rotection of the game fishes with the others. The 

 question of enforcement of the law so as to best protect both the 

 commercial and angling interests has been one that occasioned con- 

 siderable care and thought on the part of the commissioners. The 

 most energetic in demands for protection, as they view it. have been 

 the angling fraternity, and at first glance, they may seem to have the 

 best of the argument, but a consideration of the fact that a proffer 

 care be given the protection of the commercial phase insures a plen- 

 tiful suj^ply of cheap and wholesome food to an army of the working 

 classes, seems to make our duty plain, while the game fishes enjoy 

 equal protection and are insured a sup})ly of food in the increase of 

 the coarse varieties upon whose spawn and fry they live, so that we 

 feel that the intent of the fish laws, as it should be of all law, the 

 effecting of the greatest good to the greatest number, has been sub- 

 served. 



Our warden system, wdiile more effective than formerly, has been 

 demonstrated as less efficient than it should be. in that we lack a 

 sufficient number to cover the State, and money enough to carry out 

 the plans adopted so as to make it generally effective. Illinois is a 

 large State, with the most prodiictive waters within its borders of 

 any of equal area in any other part of the I'niou. and luiblic iK->licy 

 demands that tliese waters be nuide to produc(^ their fidl (juota of 

 food, and that food be given to the people through the proper chan- 

 nels, which can only be done by the kind of oversight which an effi- 

 cient warden service can give. The commissioners, serving as they 



