Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-22
FisY, Culture,

The result of the attempt to stock our rivers
with shad by artificial propagation has begun to
be manifest. Three years ago Mr.. Seth Green was
employed by the fish commissioners of this
state to establish fish nursery in the Connect
cut river. Some two or three millions of young
shad were Matched there under his superintend-
ence, and when they reached suitable age
they were turned out to take care of themselves
Mr.. Green then predicted that in 1871 there
would be noticeable increase in the number of
shad in the river. The effect would not be seen
earlier, as it takes three years for this fish to at
tain maturity. 1t has long been known that the
shad, as well as other migratory fishes, returns
yearly, after its ocean wanderings, to the river
in which it was bred. This year Mr.. Green's
young shad were due; they came puuctually to
time, and these fish were more abundant and
cheaper than for many years before. The fisher
men of course observed this; but, as they had
professed to disbelieve in Seth Green and the
whole scheme of fish culture, and
had ridiculed his prediction of an increase in
the number of shad this year, they attributed it
to other causes, asserting that the gain was not
confined to the Connecticut, but was quite
as apparent in other rivers to which shad resort,
especially the Hudson. One of the Connecticut
fish commissioners accordingly wrote to Mr..
Green, asking if it were true that shad were more
abundant than usual in the Hudson. He replied
that it was true, and it was also true that he had
put three millions of young shad into that rivern
1868, and had no doubt that those very fish
were now coming in. The same process, we be-
lieve, has been repeated every year since in both
rivers, and there can be little doubt that if
proper means are taken to prevent wasteful and
ruinous methods of fishing, these rivers will in
few years be as fully stocked with this fish as
they ever were, and will yield an annual harvest
of great commercial and economical value.
The greatest obstacle to the natural increase
of these fish has been the pound fisheries along
the Connecticut shore of the sound. The shad,
returning to their native streams in the spring,
do not steer for them directly from the open sea,
but follow the coast for considerable distance,
keeping quite near the shore. The pound fishers
take advantage Of this habit to intercept them
before they reach the river. The pounds are
thus described by writer in the Hartford Post
"a pound consists Of a net barrier known as
the leader, which extends from the shore the
Whoie depth OF the water as far out, in some in
stances, as mile; at the outer end is a heart.
being an enclosure made of netting, into which
the leader extends. This heart at the outer
point has an opening into what is called the
bowl, which is net bag. A fish strikes the
leader and is guided by ii into the heart. and
thence into the bowl whence he can never es
cape. These pounds run out from the head
lands and bays, and must of necessity form A
complete barrier to the fish as they come from
hQ buupof 10 rfar fIa -,.- =.
vel that any escape These traps are compare
lively modern invention, hence Their effects
upon fishing are well known. Wherever they
have been adopted in this country the fish have
rapidly decreased-in some cases complete ex-
termination has followed"
The Connecticut legislature enacted law for
bidding pound fishing after this year, and re-
curing all pounds to be left open, so as to give
free passage for the fish, thrty-six hours in each
week. But this latter requirement has been gem
orally disregarded, and the pound fishers are
now elamoring for the repeal of the law. The
Legislature, we trust, will not Weld TO their de-
mands. We suppose it has been proved that
the pounds are destructive to the river fisheries.
and IN the end must be fatal to their owa bust
ness, since they intercept the fish before they
reach the spawning grounds As matter of
comfy and natural justice, if not of strict riobt
Connecticut should not permit on her coasts a
method of fishing which prevents the shad from
reaching the waters of Massachusetts.
Fish culture is Of Comparatively recent origin;
but it has already been practically tested SO far
as TO make it certain that intelligent manage
ment can produce results of enormous value al
small expense. Those who have the most prac.
teal acquaintance with the subject, are conf
dent that our rivers may be stocked with sal.
mon as easily and surely as with shad. Other
kinds of valuable fish have already beea in.=s-
duced with success into some of our streams
aud ponds. There can be no doubt, in view Of
what has been done, that all our interior waters
may be stocked with the choicest food fishes. SO
that with reasonable care, our markets may be
aoundantly supplied with this nutritious and
wholesome article of diet at cheap rate.
Mr.. Green is an enthusiast in fish culture
and has learned more about them probably than
any other man in this country, by studying
their habits in state of nature and experiment