Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-11-20
Gill Nets ! Gill Nets I!

CHARLES SIMMs.
Gill Nets |! Gill Nets
To the Citizens Of HashiEston, FrsdG-
rick. and Montgomery counties
A S the General Assembly of Ma.
n rylaad will sit in the course of
few weeks, I take the liberty Of call.
ing the attention of the people Of the
upper counties to the subject of Gill
Nets; that all those who may agree
with me in opinion. may unite in pc.
titions to the Legislature to pass such
laws as may efftctualIy prevent the
use of them hereafter in the Potomac.
Since the introduction Of these Nets
into our waters, the people of the up
percounties have experienced the most
pernici6us effects of this practice. 1t
is fact we'll known, that many per.
sons ut the last season, after leaving
their homes, with their teams, at the
most busy season Of the year. and ira.
yelling, perhaps, from so to lOc miles
to reach the nearest landings, and af-
ter being detained there a considcra-
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 Herrings, but not one in
ten could get the Shad they wanted
FIR their families. These Gill Nets.
il is said, are fished almost exclusive
" by persons from the Eastward-a
covctous people they must be they
would take the bread fran our months
if they could DO it-and they certainly
will the fish if left to themselves. 1t
is stated they had 500 vessels engaged
in this business during the last season;
such a number of Nets will form such
an obstruction in the river as to keep
back the Shad altogether, and by
breaking the schools of ilerrings will
render even the catching of them un-
certain. And what adds to our sriey-
ance, the fish that arc caught in this
manner arc not disposed Of to our CT
tizcns, but are cured on board the
vessels that take hem. 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 any of Tie Rivers, with which
nature has so bnuntifuiiy watered our
state, they have only an opportunity
affurdcdcd to them once year Of pro-
curing fish of any kind for their fami-
lies g; 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 ard
trouble; and it must be known too to
the members that may compose that
body, that fish, from long use and cus-
tom, have become indispensably neccs-
sary to our families.
If any doubt should exist as to the
facts herein stated, have only to Oh
serve that they will be entirely re-
moved by referring to any one from
either of the upper counties, who at
tended at tho landings either Of the
two last seasons, particularly the last.
Having said much more than | in
tended, have only to call upon all
those who feel an interest in this bu-
siness. TO lose no time in getting Sig
natures to such a petition as | have
recommendcd,-and also to see and
converse urnn the subject with such
persons as they may think proper to
send az delegates to the next General
Assembly and | have also to request
the favor OF the editors Of the Fredc-
ricktown papers, to give these re-
marks place in their respective pa
pers, that the subject may be fully
brought before the people of the upper
counties.
nNE M THY DEnpIE