Clash Over Fish Rights

CLASH OVER FISH RIGHTS

STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AT SWORDS' POINTS.

STATE GAME WARDEN MAKES SEVERAL ARRESTS.

EACH CLAIM FISH LEFT AFTER SPAWN IS SECURED.

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Nov. 5.--The Michigan game warden's department and the United States fish commission have clashed, and as a result of the first encounter several employees of the fish commission are under arrest and other and more important arrests will probably be made.

The trouble between the Michigan officials and the federal officers arose over the disposition of the fish taken by the fishermen in the employ of the commission for the purpose of securing spawn for the United States hatcheries at Northville and Duluth. It has been the practice of the fish commission fishermen to use gill nets and to sell all the fish taken after the stripping process had been completed, the proceeds from this source making the contract for securing spawn for the hatcheries a very profitable one, especially as this work is invariably undertaken in the closed season when the price of fish is high and the only fresh fish that can be shipped to the market are those taken in this manner.

Law Is Specific.

State Game Warden Chapman, after a careful investigation of the subject, came to the conclusion that the law only gave the United States commission employees the right to sell the fish actually stripped, and that all other fish taken were the property of the state and should be turned over to the game warden's department to be sold, the proceeds going into the state treasury. the law is specific on this point, and it also places the operations under the supervision of the state game warden.

Some few days ago Game Warden Chapmann notified the fish commission superintendents of his decision in the matter, advising them that he proposed to place a deputy on every fishing tug employed, whose duty it should be to take possession of all fish which under the law were the property of the state.

In pursuance of this policy, Chief Deputy Game and Fish Warden Brewster went to Marquette and Wednesday when he attempted to board one of the tugs employed by the commission he was preemptorily ordered off. He at once placed the captains and crews of three fishing tugs, which were operating out of Marquette, under arrest and they were arraigned, the trial being set for next Wednesday.

The captains in refusing Brewster permission to board the tugs were acting under orders from Superintendent Wiers of the Duluth hatchery, and the fish commission proposes to make a fight, setting up the claim that the waters of the great lakes are under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

In the event of any further attempts being made to carry on operations the game warden announces that he will seize every tug and net employed and place under arrest the members of all crews engaged in the work.