Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-12-21
Gill Nets 4! Gill Nets !


rick. and Montgomery counties.
A S the General Assembly of Ma.
~ ryland will sit in the course of
a few weeks, | take thr liberty Of call
ing the attention of the people of the
upper counties T. the subject Of Gill
Nets; that all th"se who may agree
with me in opiHfun. MAY unite in pc
titions to the Legislature to pass such
laws rs may ciirc!ually prevent the
use of them hereafter iii the Potomac.
Since the introduction of these Nets
into ear waters. the people of the up
percountics have experienced the most
pernicious effects Of this practice. 1t
is fact well known, thai many per-
sons ut the last season, after leaving
their homes, with their teams, at the
most busy season of the year, andtra-
yelling, perhaps. from so to loc miles
to reach the nearest landings. and at.
ter being detained there a considera-
bic time, exposed TO the inclemencies
of the weather. and often without any
shelter but what was afforded to them
by the coverings of their Wagons,
while their crops too were suffering
greatly at home, were obliged at last
to return without any fish. Some pro-
cured their llcrrings, but not one in
ten could get the Shad they wanted
for their families. These Gin Nets.
it is said. arc fished almost exclusive
" by persons from the Eastward-a
covctous people they must be they
would take the bread from our mouths
if they could do it--and they certainly
will the fish il left to themselves. 1t
is stated they had 500 vessels engaged
IN this business during te last season;
such number of Nets will form such
an obstruction in the river as to keep
back the Shad altogether, and by
breaking the schools Of Herrings will
render even the catching of them I'M
certain. And what adds to our griev.
ance, the fish that are caught in this
manner arc not disposed of to our CT
tizens. but are cured on board the
vessels that take them, and carried as
an article of traffic TO some other pOr-
tions of the Union, or, perhaps, to To-
reign parts.
The people of the upper counties
are peculiarly situated; living remote
from aEy of THE Rivers, with which
nature has so bountilally watcred our
state. they have only an opportunity
afl6rdcded to them once a year OF pro-
curing fish of any kind for their fami-
lies and it rests with the Legislature
to determine whether they shall be de-
priyed of this right, attended as it is
too, with great sacrifice, expense and
trouble; and it must be known too to
the members that may compose that
body, that fish, from long use and Gus
tom, have become indispcnsably neces-
sary to our families.
Ii any doubt should exist as to the
facts herein stated, l have only to OBJ
serve that they will be entirely re-
moved by referring to any one from
either Of tho upper counties, who at
tended at the landings either Of the
two last seasons, particularly the last.
Having said much more than l IN.
tended, have only to call upon all
those who feel an interest in this bu-
sincss, to lose no time in getting sig
natures to such a petition as ! have
recommended,-and also to see and
converse upon the subject with such
persons as they may ;hink proper to
send as delegates to the next General
Assembly /; and have also to request
the favor OF the editors of the Frede-
ricktown papers, TO give these re-
marks a place in their respective pa
pcrs, that the subject may be fully
brought before the people Of the upper
counties.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE
Noyetnher IA