The Republican journal., 1870-02-24
THE REPORT OF THE STATE FISH CON-
MISSIONER.
AUGUSTA. Feb. 2. 1870.

AuNoSIA, TcD :, 1oiU.
The annual report of the Fish Commission
en-, Mr. Charles G. Atkins, is soon to be sent
out. This is an Office that has been in exis-
tencc over three years. and it is somewhat
difficult to tell with much exactness what it
amounts to. $1,000 are annually appropria-
ted, and the sum has been spent as follows
the past Personal compensation, S742;
black bass and Schoodic salmon. $3.50; tray
cling and other expenses, $5OS. Mr.. Atkins
substantially recommends the devoting of all
the money and work authorized by the legis-
lature to the construction of fshways upon
our principal rivers and the introduction of
black bass and Schoodic salmon. He argues
that the objection by mill-owners and others
interested in water-powers that it was a waste
ofwater, is a bugbear that ought to be for
ever frightened away by the facts.
Upon the matter of these fishwavs the COM
missioner is enthusiastic to the last degree,
and meets the objections of the doubters with
a great array of facts. In answer to one who
doubts that the migrating fishes will readily
and surely pass up all these barriers, he puts
the following strong case :-''Let one who
doubts 60 to Damariscotta in the alewife
season, or to any high dam near tide-water.
in June or July, while the young eels are
climbing, and see these slender little Great
ures, score of which would weigh no more
than a mans finger, wriggling their way up
tie perpendicular face of a board wall, in the
nnest possible sheet of water not thicker
a sheet of paper, up five, ten, twenty
To prove the rich results that can be
ON a proper outlay upon our great
rs, he instances the salmon fisheries of
Y 'alway River in Ireland, which rose in
= \ years from catch of less than 2OOOto
f, more than 10000, "and this in spite of
.e G.,i at the head oftide-water, where five
sixth of the water was used by mills and ca
nails" Further on he says -
Now compare the Galway with the Pen
obscot and Kcnnebec The Galway drains
less than 1000 square miles of territory the
Penobscot 5000 square miles, the Kennebec
$3.50 square miles. A simple calculation
shows that if these yielded salmon in proper
ton to the extent of country drained bv them
the Penobscot should yield l6S, 900, and the
kennehec l07 900 yearly; while iu the same
proportion the number of salmon produced
for the market by the whole State, excluding
that portion drained by the Saint John would
be 10000. The number new produced in
the State does not exceed 10000"
So convinced is Mr. Atkins of the good ef-
iccts of fshways on the Penobscot that he
says S200,O0 could be realized yearly from
salmon fishing upon it, if the fisheries of Scot
land and Ireland may be taken for compari-
SON. He goes into details of the work done
and laid outn different places, and urges more
and better legislation upon the subject, es-
pecially calling attention to the fact that most
OF the present regulations 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. He says son the Kennebec, Andros-
coggin and Penobscot, the regulations in re-
gard to fisheries for salmon, shad and ale
wives have been enforced as they have prob
ably never been before. The wardens have
been very efficient. In only one case has
there been neglect of duty Their authority,
too, has been exercised, in general so fairly
as to give entire satisfaction to the fisher
men" Mr.. Atkins advises against so much
legislation against taking fresh water fishes,
and urges everybody interested in fish cul
ture to consider more the needs of the miera-
tory fishes. He says that pickerel, at best.
are ''ruthless destroyers'' and of little ac-
count, no matter how plentifully they abound
The report is well considered and will COM
mand general attention and approval as
faithful place of work. [Boston Daily Adj
VertSer.