

FISHING 373 
of the decrease of fish in Montana waters, is 
quoted as saying: 
There are a number of causes to account for the 
decrease of fish in inland waters. The one most 
destructive*in Eastern States is the contamination 
and pollution of the streams by the offal and by- 
products of paper mills, starch factories, oil refin- 
eries, distilleries, sewage, etc. The first effect of 
this pollution of the streams is to destroy the 
minute organisms that constitute the food of the 
newly hatched fry and young fish. The young fish, 
being deprived of their food, perish at once. Adult 
fish can withstand a certain amount of impurity in 
water for a time, but eventually they also suc- 
cumb. 
The fouling of water by the smelting of ores and 
its disastrous effect on fish is patent to every resi- 
dent of Butte. To the washing of coal and to the 
mining of ores is also to be attributed a great loss of 
fish life. Where the fish food is not entirely de- 
stroyed by the soluble substances, the insoluble 
matter is deposited on the spawning beds, smother- 
ing or killing the eggs and newly hatched fry. 
Sawdust and coal dust are destructive in this way. 
The argument is often advanced that the various 
industries mentioned must, as a matter of course, 
be maintained, even at the cost of the loss of all 
fish life in inland waters. But this is not neces- 
sarily the case. The evil can be prevented in a 
great measure by compelling such plants to run 
the offal and waste water in settling ponds before 
flowing into the streams, as is now being done in 
many places. 
By the vigilance of game and fish wardens the 
minor evils of illegal fishing, illegal sale of fish and 
dynamiting can, to a certain extent, be prevented, 
as punishment for these offenses is provided for by 
statutory enactment. But there is another agency 
of fish destruction in Montana so appalling and 
widespread that in comparison with it all the other 
causes mentioned sink into utter insignificance. 
It is the wholesale destruction of fish, both large 
and small, by means of irrigation ditches. 
No one, except the ranchers and those who have 
investigated the matter, can have a realization of 
the awful loss of fish life, of the wanton sacrifice of 
millions of God’s creatures, left to gasp out their 
little lives on the meadows and grain fields all over 
the great State of Montana. Often the stench aris- 
ing from the decaying trout—the loveliest object 
on God’s footstool—is intolerable ; “it smells to 
heaven.” And yet the past Legislatures of the State 
have utterly ignored any attempt to prevent it. 
There is a needless and unwarranted opposition 
to the screening of ditches at the intake, not so 
much on the part of the farmers and ranchers as 
by the average member of the State Legislature. 
The rancher knows that the streams are clear of 
leaves and trash in the summer, and that but little 
attention would be required to keep the screens 
clean. I know of ranchers who, of their own ac- 
cord, have put in screens at the head of their 
ditches, and who assure me that but little attention 
is needed to keep them clean during the season of 
irrigation. I do not believe that farmers are more 
selfish or thoughtless than other men, or have less 
regard for life, even that of a helpless fish. And if 
a screen law were enacted, I believe it would be 
cheerfully obeyed. 
But in order to do away with the objection to 
screens, I devised a simple paddle wheel to be 
placed at the intake of ditches, which, while need- 
ing no attention after being put in place, would be 
more effective in preventing the passage of fish 
than a screen. Such a provision was included in 
the fish and game law before the last Legislature, 
but it was eliminated by the fish and game com- 
mittee. Comment is unnecessary. 
The streams of Montana are as yet pure and un- 
defiled to a great extent, and should be almost as 
productive of fish life as when first viewed by 
Lewis and Clark. But unless the awful slaughter 
of the innocents by irrigation ditches is stopped, 
and stopped now, the beautiful mountain streams 
of the State will soon be but barren wastes, void of 
fish life, for which not the rancher but the repre- 
sentatives of the people—the Legislature—will be 
to blame. 

Revolution in Tuna Fishing 
The following extract from a letter from an 
enthusiastic tuna angler is interesting as show- 
ing the increasing preference for lighter tackle 
among anglers for oceanic game fishes: 
Eleven tunas caught to-day, 
making 21 this season so far, ranging from 18 
to 66 pounds. Your old rods are out of date 
now; weare all using light tackle, 9-ounce rods 
and g-thread line. The lobby is ‘full of fisher- 
men now, telling hard luck stories about tunas 
— six rods broken this morning—two tunas 
landed on g-ounce rods, one 54 and the other 
25 pounds. All hands going out in the morn- 
ing. TuHos. S. MANNING. 
‘Santa Catalina Island, August 19, 1906.” 

American Anglers in Canada 
The following open letter was sent by Mr. 
A. Kelly Evans, secretary of the Ontario Fish 
and Game Protective Association, to Mr. 
Stephen Stone, of the Yan-Kan-Uck Fishing 
Club, Moon River, Ontario: 
Str: Your letter of the 2d inst., addressed to me 
as Commissioner of Fisheries, was forwarded me 
by the Department of Public Works. 
I have no connection whatever with the Govern- 
ment, but am secretary of the Ontario Fish and 
Game Protective Association. I am_ referring 
your letter to Mr. Edwin Tinsley, acting Deputy 
Commissioner of Fisheries here, requesting him to 
reply to the same and to give you the present regu- 
lations. 
I will, however, take this opportunity of sending 
you, under separate cover, a copy of the constitu- 
tion and by-laws of the Ontario Fish and Game 
Protective Association, together with copy of 
pamphlet containing the subjects for discussion 
at our convention, to be held August 31 and Sep- 
tember 1, in the University of Toronto Building, 
as among such questions is that of a rod license fee 
