The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-15
Fish Cuiture--Report of Committee.

FISH Culture--tepOftO OF CoMmtttec'
The following report was submitted by
Mr.. Wall, chairman of the committee on
the Chesapeake and its tributaries to the
House OF Delegates, on the subject of fish
culture:
The COMMITTEES on the Chesapeake and its tributa.
ries beg leave to call the attention of the General
Assembly to the important subject of fish culture,
| or the artificial breeding Of fish. The annual up.
| ward migration of fish has been entirely stopped
in many of our most important rivers by the build
ing of dams which entirely sbstruct their PASSAGE
and the accumulation of mud above the dams rapid
ly destroying such fish not migratory In their
habits Tho necessary consequence u.s. that the day
is not far distant when may certainly look for
ward to almost total depletion of this cheap and
formerly abundant source OF subsistence in the fresh
water streams of the State,-a calamity all the
dsplorable from tho fact that 1t will be chiefly felt
by the poorer classes. To cite a notable instance
within the memory of men now living James river
from its mouth to the confluence of the jackson and
Cowpasture yielded each returning spring to the
people living near its banks, abundant supply of
fresh shad of the most delicious variety; and yet
to-day by of the dame Of the James river and
Kanawha canal, not a single one of these fish is
caught abaye tidewater in that stream. Your COM
nittee are deeply impressed with the Importance,
nay the urgent necessity of adopting adequate
measure for remedyng this wide spread and severely
felt They would suggest the double remedyof pro-
viding fer the upward passage of the migratory fish,
the dams and the repenishing Of all the freshwater
streams of the State by the artificial propagation of
sh and by depositing in them varieties of reshwater
fish obtained from other and more favored streams
From the light thrown upon this subject by the |
many reports published by experienced and weilin- |
formed gentlemen in Europe and in the States north
of us, who have made this subject their study, we
eel convinced that our many mountain streams, riv-
ers and bays can be filled, at very small expense.
with the choicest varieties of fish, thereby greatly
reducing the cost of living and adding to the COM
one of the fish commissioners appointed under the /
laws Of New York, and perhaps better informed on
this subject than any man in this country, says:
"Expend one-thousandth part of the sum spent in |
tling the land in tillng the waters, and fish may
be sold in our markets at two cents per pound."-
md again he says, II do not hesitate to say that at
the present time an acre Of water be made to
pay far more than of land" The evidence |
furnished by the reports of commissioners in the va
rious States that have taken this subject in hand
all concur In the statement that the streams hereto
fore without good fish have been replenished under
this system, with the best Varieties and in great
Whilst in England, France, and other countries of
Europe, as we'll as in own northern States, the
subject of fish culture and the replenishing of de-
pleted streams, has received the attention
.urate with its Importance the people of Virginia.
with but few exceptions, have slept in most un
oisu Ignorance of the fact that their fresh water
streams have been gradually losing all their fnny
and of the not less important fact that
here is cheap and easy mode of counteracting the
'vi Many of the States, approaching the impor- |
ance of the subject have appointed commissioners
IT fisheries, and are constructing fishways over i'm
,assable ANS. The New England States, by con- |
'erted legislation, have joint commission which, it
8 said, gives hope of speedy restoration of shad /
md salmon to their streams, from which they have
,oon expelled. |
Your committee, therefore, would respectfully re-
that small sum be appropriated and
'laced in the hands of the governor of the Common
wealth. who shall be authorized to appoint two suit
Ibe commissioners to carry out, under his instruc-
ions, this important measure.