Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-01-06
NUMBER 81.

i he Mhlne COlnlulSslOlcIo HdfC hi"uN
the promise and perfected the arrange
ments, to hatch and distribute in our
riveis all that are placed in their keeping
In view Of the increased and constant
ly increasing price Of living. the Com
missioners argue that the products Of the
waters should be increased. and food
that Is now confined to the tables OF the
rich, should be afforded the poor at Il
cheap price. 4 great wrong was done
the people when the salmon, shad and
alewives were excluded from our rivers.
Fishways must be constructed over every
dam and made accessible to every species
OF migratory fish; and the construction
of these ishways will not detract an'fota
from the value OF the water power, but
will ensure TO the prosperity of the man.
ulacturer, whose interest it is To have
cheap food. Prof. Baird, of the Smith
sonian Institute, and Chief Of the L. :.
Bureau Of Fish and Fisheries, expresses
the opinion that something oil the old
time experience can be regained, when
the streams and rivers of New England
cmplying into the ocean were almost
bIockaded. at certain seasons, by the
number OF shad, salmon and alewives
seeking to ascend Tor the purpose of de.
posting their spawn. At that time the
deep sea fisheries of the coast were also
OF great extent and value. Now, how
ever, things are entirely different The
erection of impossible dams has prevent
ed the upward course OF the fish and
they have dwiudIed away. With their
decrease there has been corresponding
elimination in the numbers of the cod
and other deep sea species near coasts;
but it was no, until quite recently that
tho relationships between the two series
OF phenomena were appreciated as those
OF cause and effect IIalibut can be Ic.
duced in abundance by over fishing with
tho hook and line, but experiences in
Europe and America coincide in the con-
firmation Of the opinion that none Of tic
methods now in vogue for the capture OF
fish Of the cod family (including the cod,
hadduck- pollock, hake, line. etc., can
seriously affect their numbers. Fish,
females Of which deposit from ons TO
two million Of eggs every year, are not
easily eXlermnated unless they are inter
lered with during the spawning season,
and as this takes place in the winter and
in the open sea, (the spawn floating near
the surface OF the water,) there is no pos
siblity of any human interferenccs with
the process. Still, however, these fish
have become comparatively very scarce
on our coast, 50 that our people are
forced 10 resort 10 far distant regions 10
obtain tho supply which formerly could
be secured almost within sight Of their
homes.
1t is believed That the great attraction
to the cod on the banks, consists in great
part OF the immense schools Of herring
or other wandering fish, that come in
from the region of the Labrador and
Newfoundland seas, anChwhich they fre.
qucnily follow close in TO the shore, 50
that they are easily captured. The ana.
dromous fishes of the coast bring the
cod and other fishes Of that family in up.
OH our shores. and it is therefore safe to
assume that the Improvement of tho line
fishing along the coast of Maine IS close.
ly connected with the increase in mum
Der oil alcwyls, shad and salmon; and
that, whatever measures are taken to
facilitate the restoration OF these last
mentioned fish, to their ,pristine abuni-
ance, will act, in an equal ratio, upon
the first mentioned interest this ofcoursc.
il necessary provision is made for the
passage Of the fish in the shape OF fish,
ways.
The report contains two or three sug-
geslens as to legislation; and the COM
ms5ioners, in summing up, say: \
liberal expenditure in restoring the sal
mon, shad and alewives to even the mp
per and remote tributaries Of all rivers
where they were once plenty; q firm,
manly cooperation of all Our population
in enforcing our laws for the preserva.
ton OF all our fishes; a continuance OF
the liberal kindly feeling of our mill
owners, and their aid. advice and energy
in constructing our fishwayq; these will
bring back prosperity and plenty to
many Il far bsck country home; will re-
store many u sea coast village row la
menting its lost fare for net or inc.