The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-01-11
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Monday Morning, January II. 1859.
Artificial Fish-Rreed;u~

Artiheial Fish Breeding.
We have heretofore published some articles
upon this subject, but the recent meeting of
the Fishery Commissioners in New York
has given fresh impetus to this enterprise,
and facts have been stated which will interest
many of our readers. These commissioners
were appointed by the Legislatures cf several
of our States. The following commissioners
were present:
Maine-Charles G. Atkins, Augusta; N.
W. Foster, East Machias.
New Hampshire-H. A. Bellows, Concord; !;
w. A. Sanborn, Weirs; Livingston Stone,
Charleston.
Vermont-Prof. A. d. Hagan, Proctorville; :;
Charles Barrett, Grafton.
Massachusetts-Alfred Z. Field, Green
field; T. Lyman, BroOkline.
Connecticut-H. Woodward, Middletown;
James Rankin, Old Saybrook; James A. Bell,
Lyme.
Rhode Island-A Reed, Apponang; A. S.
Gallup, Providence.
New York-Seth Green, Mumford; Robert
b. Roosevelt, New York; S. A. Ainswortb.
Bloomfield; William A. Smith, Brooklyn;
William Hodges, New York.
Pennsylvania-James Worrall, Hamsbury;
Thad. Norris, Philadelphia; Richard Raldi-
mand, Philadelphia.
New Jersey-Benjamin P. Howell, Wood
bury.
On motion of Mr.. Roosevelt, the chair was
taken by Col. Worrall, of Pennsylvania, and
Mr.. Lyman acted as Secretary.
The chairman remarked that he was but a
tyro as fish culturist. In his State some
thing has been done. A commissioner has
been appointed, and the lowest dam on the
Susquehanna river broken and the fish intro
duced into it. The construction of the dam
was very simple, being nothing more than an
iLelined plane of one in fifteen rise. The
fish weir itself is only three feet high, having
slope OF iorty-five feet. The result of the
first years fishing was about 10000 shad. In
the second year there was failure in all the
streams. The Susquehanna has coast line
of 1000 miles, and he was satisfied that fish
could be brought along the entire coast The
Delaware had always been an important shad
stream. Shad could be sent up as far as El-
mira. He said his State was full of trout
streams.
Mr.. Norris, of Pennsylvania, spoke of the
necessity of increasing the area of spawning
ground. DR.. Howell said that the introduc-
tion of gill fishing had diminished the num-
Dor of shad. The fisheries in the Delaware
have been considered as belonging to the ri
purian owners. The greatest number of shad
ever taken at one haul in the Delaware was
10000 in the year 1920. 1t seems from the
remarks of Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Green,
who visited the Southern States, that the
shad fisheries there had been much depleted.
In their visit to twenty fishing stations on the
Hudson river, they found it so thoroughly de-
pleted that they could not obtain breeding
fish, and only succeeded to limited extent.
1t is proposed to stock many Of the ponds
and lakes with black bass. We have before
stated that Maine has hundreds of excellent
localities where these fish might be bred to
great advantage. They are very prolific and
would afford much valuable food, as well as
fine sport for the angler. No fish dies better
game than the black bass. They are quick to
bite, and tenacious of life. In Lake Ontario
the commissioners found that the white fish
are rapidly diminishing in numbers. In the
upper lakes they afford much employment to
the fishermen. They are not caught with
the hook but in nets. We have seen the In
dians take them in dip nets in St. Mary's riv-
er. They are valuable as food, many prefer
ring them to the lake trout.
In Massachusetts the question of fish cul-
ture has become of great importance, the
State having appropriated $50, 900 last year
for that purpose. Of this sum $4,000 were ex-
pended in the Matching of shad Black bass,
lake trout and land-locked salmon have been
introduced. Mr.. Livingston of New Hamp-
shire, said that the Canadian government has
given them permission to take 300 salmon
from the waters of New Brunswick, and the
next year they expect to bring 100000
spawn into the State. No doubt this meet
ing will be attended with good results. We
trust our farmers who have good localities
will improve them. They can make fish cul-
ture profitable, if they will only set them.
selves about it. And there would not only
be profit but also pleasure in such an enter
prise. Maine is marvelously provided with
lakes, ponds, rivers and streams which may
be stocked with valuable fish. And thou
sands of our farmers have fine chances to
make artificial fish ponds in which they can.
raise an abundance of trout, not only fol
their own tables but for the market. The ex
pense would not be great. And after such
! work is done and they have had the profit
and pleasure of taking the speckled trout
from their own waters, they will greatly won
der why they had not done it before.
.... AnRICoT