Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-19
The Potomac Flsherles

The Potomac Fisheries
1t is now conceded by ALL that the Ti,L.r
men of the Potomac, as well a. eycrywL.rs
else, rs far H. ! have heard have Ia ru,..,,,
ter Il third disastrous failure; and it must b..
admitted, tina, the fish are either All ,.,u,r.,
up. or have deserted our waters. or ara L..
! troycd in SOM way. or nearly So. Therefor.
it is high time, if not now tou late. for thu.
who are interested, IA take the matter ~,
serious consideration, and make an ,H,r, 49,.
least, to put II stop TO this wholesale J.,trn..
| ton, and this effort to run down and ,,,I,
the last shad and herring in orr w..
The few that are left may be all; and to,,,,
them. and suffer them "a rccupcratr ,L...,
should be Il positive. full, and cnmpI.t. e,,.,
pie to all hauling, gllliug. or taking Them !,
any way whatever for AZ least one Year ,,j
then every fourth year thereafter Bu, ,,'I,
this is the difficulty. There are some r.,
who will break, cvade. or dodge the lave =
for nothing else onl Y to cucklc over il II,w
to stop them Is the question. | know %, a.,
way but to get the Legislatures of Nirsiui,
Maryland and perhaps North Carolina +,
pass law, requiring all fishermen, whether
haulers or glllers. To take out license accord.
ing to their outfit, and the revenue urisin,,
theretrom to be retained To pay strong Do
lice, Ia cruise IN the waters and arrest MI
offenders. To know that the subiect is wor.
thy the serious attention of the resperti,.
Legislatures, it is only necessary tn consider
IL, 3 IL
in rapid circulation on both sides OF the ~.
tomac. in some five or >lX week all. ,r
nearly all, To find its level III the adioining
counties or cities Also. the number of men
who find lucrative employment. the mum
her Of barrels, salt lumber provisions, Ar..
&c, all TO be paid for, directly or indirectly.
hy the distant consumer. amounting Ia, per.
haps. half million of dollars. And Vet our
Legislatures. our people those who are imme.
diately Interested, have stood by passive and
unconcerned, witnessing the running down
and catching the last shad and herring per.
haps in the world, for the whole seed breed,
and generation may have been destroyed in
the Fall of 1876. in some some unircquentei
part of the world, for we know not where
they 90 when they leave Us after spawning.
We find them early in the year, in mid-win-
ter on our Southern coast. coming North, 70
fall into our different fresh water streams,
for the purpose of perpetuating their species
That done, they leave us Immediately, ana
10 man knows what becomes Of them-at
least, do not-till mid-winter.
1t is the opinion of some that there werca.
many fish in 1886 rs ever. and some think
that there was rathei an increase, especially
in herring But when | compare the above
named year. and the year Just previous, with
the year lS2G, the difference is ~ one t.
hundred. In those by-gone days, not only
the river but the creeks, were filled with
fish. From four to six regular gluts of her
ring from three to five gluts of shad. Since
then, there has been regular and steady
falling of, till the scarcity is such, and the
price so high, that none but the wealthy can
indulge. Yes, that food that was once the
poor mans dependence, has become the rich
mans luxury, and all from wanton waste
and destruction. 1t may not he too late
Therefore, | hope those who understand the
subject better than do, will take it in hand.
and propose something that will bring back
those good old times, when every man had
"A plenty of fish" 10 pass laws, without,
ut the same time. being prepared to enforce
them, is folly. We have law now, in both
States, stopping all fishing after the 18th
Of May. We will see how it is respected
Hence it is, propose a strong police force.
paid either directly or indirectly, by rcyc-
nue. raised from licensing men to fish That
police force should be composed of policemen
from the cities, who are accustomed TO, and
will not be inundated by, threats, or the
hourishing of knife or old muskct. They
should be in II schooner. well fitted out with
(six Founders, if necessary and
be prepared to put down all opposition, and
enforce the law.
Hoping have said enough to provoke"
others better skilled than myself to write
and act, drop the subject, for the present
mt least, after suggesting the propriety of
those who are interested, (and who that has
"A mouth, and loves pankeI shad is not to
meet on n given day in Alexandria, to con.
suit and agree what shall be done to preserve
the breed Of Fish. POTOMAC.
Charles County, Nd, May IT,