The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-03-19
Pennsylvania Fish Report.


The report of Messrs. Reeder, Duffy
and Hewitt, Fish Commissioners of this
State, for the year 1873 has been subnit
ted to the Legislature. 1t contains much
interesting information in regard to
existing fisheries aud the progress made
in Introducing Dew varieties to eur rivers
The gradual disappearance Of shad in the
Delaware is fully discussed, that river
having become much more depleted than
the Susquenanna. The Comm missiouers
say that net more than six fisheries on
the Delaware afforded any profit last year,
while nearly all the shore fisheries
entailed actual loss on their owners This
is chiefly due to three causes-the nse OF
drift nets" in the lower part of the river !;
the ''close time" being too short and not
duly observed !; and the immense destruc
tion of the young shad by fish baskets 10
the fall. From Trenton all the way down
to the bay the river is literally fenced
across at short intervals by the DRIFT NJ cts,
so that it is almost impossible for the
larger shad to escape. In some cases the
nets. are staked or anchored for time,
by which they are made still more
destructive. The close time, which now
extends from midnight on Saturday to
midnight on Sunday, with certain excep
tions, is declared to be insufficient and
the Commissioners urge that it be made
to begin six hours earlier. They say that
the fish caught on Saturday evening are
generally spoiled before they can be sold
But of all causes of destruction the fish
baskets are the worst. Walls or wings of
stone are built in the river, by means of
which all descending fish are made to
pass through basket or weir placed at
the point where they converge Millions
of young shad are stopped by these
baskets, and are bruised so much that
they rarely or never survive. They are
of no use, and are thrown out by the
bushel by the fishermen. There is now
a law authorizing the destruction of these
baskets, and the Com missioners hope that
by another year not single one will re
main in our rivers. Thus one of the most
serious causes Of loss will be removed.
and until that is done all efforts to restore
the shad fisheries will be useless. But
the greatest good effect is to be obtaiued
by artificial propagation: The Con-
missioners have purchased Of Seth Green
the ri ght to use bis patent hatching
boxes, similar to those employed by the
government agent at Point Pleasant last
summer. During 1873 over 100000
young shad were placed in the Susque
hanna, but owing to the failure Of New
Jersey to act nothing was done in the
Delaware beyond the work at Point
Pleasant. At this place nearly 1000,
900 young shad were hatched and turned
loose. As the shad natures in three
years their return may be looked for in
1876. The Commissioners are confident
that with proper management will be
come cheap and abundant. During the
past year about 1000 black bass were
transplanted, most of which were taken
from the Delaware, near Easton, aud
placed in the Lehigh, the Susquehanna
aud the Juniata. The Delaware is now
full of young bass The Delaware is
considered we'll suited for salmon, and
during the last three years over 5S 900
young fish have been placed in the river
They were frequently observed in the wat,
last summer. The habits Of the salmon are
like those of the shad-thsy leave the
ocean and resort to the rivers only for
the purpose Of propagation. The Com
missoners have on hand about 100, 900
young salmon trout, from Lake Ontario.
which they propose placing in various
rivers. They have taken no steps as yet
toward the production of brook tIout,
preierring to give attention to the more
prolific varieties Of fish. They have
established State hatchug house near
Marietta, in Lancaster county, with
capacity OF three millions of eggs at one
time. The cost of the operations of the
last year was about $4,000. 1t is ap
parent from the facts stated that the steps
in progress for the restoration of the
fisheries have been effective. and that the
money appropriated has been wisely
expended.
TUo ueddin~ fees of thousand dnlIa &c