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REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



" The basis on which a rational system of pisciculture is founded is very simple : 

 Preserve the natural conditions of those places where the fish spawn, conditions which 

 favor the spawning process and tend to preserve the spawn and protect the first devel- 

 opment of the eggs ; thus everything which diminishes the supply of fresh water, 

 everything which changes the quality of the water, or the character of the bottom, 

 everything which hinders the growth of aquatic plants ; in fact, everything which, at 

 its source, can destroy the health of fish of a whole 'basin. * * * Leave a free 

 passage for the fish to pass to the places which are favorable for spawning. * * * 

 Protect the young generation so that it can arrive at the age of maturity and con- 

 tribute its share towards the increase of its species." 



We know, personally, of two instances where mill refuse has been diverted from a 

 stream in this State, with but little cost to the mill owners. In one case, the poisonous 

 chemicals of a pulp and paper mill have been conducted to vats on the shore, and, 

 later, the contents of the vats have been marketed. In the other case, the sawdust of 

 a large mill plant has been conducted by a series of boxes and belts, requiring no 

 hand labor, to a central storage pit and used for fuel. Under the circumstances, we 

 think we are warranted in recommending that the law be changed to forbid the 

 pollution of our streams and waters without conditions of any sort. 



It will be observed that one of the rules upon which a rational system of fish 

 culture is founded, is that the fish shall have a free passage to the places which are 

 favorable to spawning. This means that fishways must be built over natural and arti- 

 ficial obstructions in our streams containing 

 food fishes, if the supply is to be kept up. 

 We have a law that provides that in the 

 future no dams shall be built in any stream 

 over six miles long, unless at the same time 

 a fishway is built in the dam ; but con- 

 cerning the dams already built the law is 

 silent. 



The United States Supreme Court has 

 given a decision as to the rights of proprie- 

 tors to erect and maintain dams on any 

 stream. This is the language in part 

 of the decision : " Ownership of the 

 banks and bed of the stream gives to the proprietor the exclusive right of fishing 

 opposite his land, as well as the right to use the water to create power to operate 

 mills, but neither the one nor the other right, nor both combined, confer any right 

 to erect an obstruction in the river to prevent the free passage of fish up and 



