Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-03-04

hep0rg 0J tne rtS0 CO~s"ssSssOSseT'
The Augusta correspondent ofthe Bos-
ton advertiser makes the following abb
stract Of the annual report Of Charles u.
Atkins, Fish Commissioner:
This is an Office that has been In exis-
,ence over three years, and It Is some
what difficult to tell with much exact
ness what it amounts 20. $1,000 are
annually appropriated, and the sum has
been spent as follows the past year;
Personal compensation, S742; black
bass and Schoodic salmon, $3.50; travel
ing and other expenses. S5OS. Mr.. At.
kins substantially recommends the devot-
ing of all the money aud work authorized
by the Legislature to the construction Of
hshways upon our principal rivers, and
the introduction of black bass and Schoo-
die salmon. He argues that the objection
by mill owners and others interested in
water-powcrs that it was a waste OF wa
ter, il bugbear that ought 10 be forever
frightened away by the facts.
Upon the matter Of these iishways tho
commissioner is enthusiastic TO the last
degree. and meets the objections of the
doubters with great array of facts. In
answer 10 one who doubts that the mi
grating fishes will readily and surely
pass up all these barriers, he puts the
following strong case LET one who
doubts, go to Damariscotta in the ale
wife season, or to any high dam near tide
water, in June or July, while the young
eels are climbing, and see these slender
| little creatures, score Of which would
weigh no more than a mans fingers, wrig-
Cling their way up the perpendicular
face of board wall, in the thinnest pos
sible sheet of water, not thicker than a
sheet of paper, up five, ten. twenty feet"
To prove the rich results that can be
got from proper outlay upon our great
streams, he instances the salmon fisher
les of the Galway river in Ireland, which
rose in twelve years from catch of less
than 1000 to 1900 land this in spite
Of one dam at the head Of tide water,
where five. sixths of the water was used
by mills and canals" Further on he
says:
Now compare the Galway with the
Pcnobscot and kcnncbec. The Galway
drains less than 1000 square miles OF
territory, the Pcnobscot $500 square
miles, the Kennebec $3.50 square miles.
a simple calculation shows that if these
yielded salmon in proportion to the ex-
tent of country drained by them the
Penobscot should yield $4,000, and
the Kenncbec l07 900 yearly: while in
the same proportion the number of
salmon produced for the market by tho
whole State, excluding that portion
drained by the st. John, would be 500
600. The number now produced ia The
State does not exceed 10000.
So convinced is Mr.. Atkins of the
good effects Of tishways on the Penob-
scot that he says 100000 could be
realized yearly from salmon fishing up
on it, if the fisheries OF Scotland and
Ireland may be taken for comparison.
He goes into details of the work done
and laid out in different places, and
urges more aud better legislation upon
the subject. especially calling attention
To the fact that most Of the present reg
ulations apply only to the upper waters.
whereas the points along the sea coast
ought to be equally guarded. He thinks
the law OF last winter has done much
good lie says, "On the kcnnebec,
Androscoggin and Penobscot, the regu-
lations in regard 10 fisheries for salmon,
shad and alewives have been enforced
as they have probably never been before.
! The warlens have been very efficient.
In only one case has there been negle
of duty. Their authority, too, has been
exercised, in general, % fairly us to give
entire satisfaction 10 the fishermen"
Mr.. Atkins advises against so much
legislation against taking fresh water
fishes, and urges everybody interested
in fish culture to consider more the needs
of the migratory fishes. He says that
pickerel, at best, are ruthless destroyers'
and of little account, no matter how
plentilully they abound. The report is
well considered and will command
general attention and approval as faith
ful piece oi work.