OCR Text |
Show I! TiUI ARE NOT FOUiJiUITREAMS Screenless Irrigation Ditches Is Real Cause for Disappearance. Dis-appearance. FISH ARE CARRIED OUT INTO LUCERN PATCHES State Protective Association to Remedy This and Enforce En-force the Law. Members of tho Utah Fish and Game Protective Pro-tective association held a rousing meeting at tho Commercial club last evening. Important Impor-tant measures Incident to tho protection of fish and gamo In this State were considered. Discussion developed the fact that It Is not fishing that Is emptying the trout out of our canyon streams, but screenless Irrigation ditches. Tho law expressly stipulates that Irrigating ditches bo screened, and yet It Is a known fact that there nro not half a dozen farmers throughout the entire Stato who have compiled with tho law. As a result, the swift mountain streams carry tho helpless fish out In lucerne patches or onto the farming lands Sometimes farmers gather the fleh up; or again, allow them to remain on tho lnnd ns fertilizers or porhnps to be eaten up by hogs. Law Will Bo Enforced. How to enforco tho law so iui to save the rapidly decreasing supply of trout now remaining re-maining In tho canyon gtrenms war tho question ques-tion which received the serious consideration of the meeting. The farmers refuio to obey the law on the ground ilinl a screen stops tho natural How of the water, thnt It clogs up and necessitates the constant supervision of ono man. If the farmer Is to get the amount of water he Is entitled to This being be-ing the case, tho members decided thnt It would bo best. In tho first plac to show the farmers that they are in error, and that lhcrt nro screens to be hnd which will servo the purpose without causing them nny loss of water. Farmers Benefiting Themselves. In addition, the association will also endeavor en-deavor to show the farmers that they nro not putting In screens for the benefit of n few Salt Lako fishermen. It Is to their Interest In-terest to protect the fish: first,, because they furnish a delightful food supply, and secondly, second-ly, because tho farmers located along good fishing streams can do n prollloblo business with the anglers. Falling In this It was the sense of the meeting that moral suasion bo given up for the courts of law. Flagrant vlolntors will be prosecuted, and tho?o State and county officials who fall to do their duty In securing the enforcement of the law will also bo mado to suffer. Will Investigate Allegations. Last evening President Schefskl read a report re-port which contained pcvernl startling allegations allega-tions In connection with tho screening of Irrigation Ir-rigation ditches. Tho organization voted that theso allegations be Investigated nnd thnt a complete report he made at tho next meeting, meet-ing, which will b held on Wednesday evening even-ing next. A committee consisting of Fisher S. Harris and Messrs. Cromar nnd Tuckfleld wns appointed to do this work. Make Members Deputy Wardens. At tho meeting It was also decided that the State Deputy Oamo and Fish Wardon bo requested re-quested to mnke every membor of the association asso-ciation a deputy warden without pay. This will give the members nn opportunity to do active work In tho protection of fish and game without any danger. Opposed to Lacey Bill. It was also voted unanimously that a petition peti-tion be sent thi- Utnh Congressional delegation, delega-tion, urging them m oppose the Lacey bill, which Is now before Congress. This bill would give tho President of the United Stntes iwwor to close at his discretion nny stronms In forest reserves. As practically all tho Utah streams nro so located such a law would be a serious menace In the opinion of tho members mem-bers of tho association. Talk of Requiring License, The matter of Inducing the next Legislature to pas a law providing that all fishermen and hunters be required to pay nn annual license of Jl. wan considered. It wns evident to all that a fund thus created would enable tho State to bettor enre for Its fish and gamo and It In probnblc that the step will be aken. Before adjourning Judge C. S. Patterson waj selected to act as attorney for tho organization. |