38 
REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
increase of black bass, to which voracious fish the young carp fell easy 
prey. 
Requests have been made by market fishermen and some of the 
dealers asking that the law be amended to permit of the capture of black 
bass with nets or seines. In our opinion such legislation would be most 
unwise. Black bass travel in schools, and it would be possible to wipe 
out the entire supply in any given body of water if such operations were 
made legal. Besides, so long as the present restrictions exist permitting 
them to be taken with hook and line only, a far larger number of our 
people, especially those living in the country, derive food, profit, and 
pleasure by capturing them in accordance with the existing law. We 
would, therefore, recommend that no change be made. 
SHAD. 
This valuable food fish continues to be found in great abundance 
throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin basins, and the principal 
streams tributary to these rivers, also in Suisun, San Pablo, and San 
Francisco bays. No necessity has yet arisen for any restrictions as to 
their capture, except the one referring to size of mesh with which they 
can be lawfully taken. This restriction, however, was not intended to 
apply to shad, except in a limited degree, but is intended for the pro¬ 
tection of the striped bass and salmon. Without it, market fishermen 
could with perfect impunity operate during the close season on the plea 
that they were trying to catch shad, and accidentally caught salmon or 
striped bass during the prohibited time or with unlawful seines. This 
in itself would not be serious were it not that the average market fish¬ 
erman never releases anything that comes into his net, and would take a 
chance upon finding some way to smuggle it into the market. It is a 
remarkable fact that while the shad is considered the most valuable 
river fish of the Eastern States, our people have yet failed to appre¬ 
ciate its good qualities. There is no question as to the quality of the 
fish, which when properly handled is equal to the best taken anywhere 
in the world. The principal cause for complaint is because 4 4 it is so 
bony.” During the past two years we have seen large catches aggre¬ 
gating 800 pounds made by two fishermen on a single drift, which con¬ 
tained specimens weighing ten pounds, but owing chiefly to the limited 
demand the price paid to the fishermen ranged only from one half a 
cent for males to two and one half cents per pound for the females, the 
additional price being added for the “shad roe.” In our nineteenth 
biennial report we suggested that in order to create a better market for 
shad, the exportation of striped bass from the State be prohibited. 
Such a law, we believe, would result in exporting thousands of pounds 
of shad into Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, that are now taking 
