The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-05-08
Mhe Geril M1hta
ELkTON, MAY 5, 1875.
ABOUT FISH.


The prevailing excitement at this season
of the year in the vicinity of rivers and near
their confluence with tide water, is fish and
fishing. The question of stocking streams
artifcially with fish is gaining ground in
all parts of the country; and many States
have Fish Commissioners, and appropria-
tions of money from the treasury to carry
out the design. Among the number our
own State is counted, which has made such
provision, though the good intention of the
law, thus far, seems to have been very
lamely carried out.
Last year forty million shad and seven
million salmon, Matched out in the hatch
ing houses the previous year, were placed
in the Connecticut river. In 1874 over five
million young shad were placed in the Hud-
son, and the yield of last year, owing to
previous stocking in these rivers, was great
ly increased. This increase has been SO
great, it is said as to have caused fall in
price of these fish since 1869 of IS per cent.
The able Fish Commissioners of New York
expended only $l4, 559 last year in the work
. and were able to supply all persons apply
ing, with as many young fish as they re-
quired to stock the waters of their neigh
borhoods.
This brings us to the question: What are
the Fish Commissioners of Maryland about?
Millions of shad spawn could be collected at
any Of the large fisheries about the head of
Chesapeake Bay, on the Elk, North East
and Susquehanna rivers at almost nomi-
nal cost, in very short time if we had IA
Board of competent men to perform the
business.
A million young shad placed in the Sus-
quehaua ten miles from it's mouth would,
in the time required for the fish to grow,
return such glut Of these fine fish to the
same location as the oldest inhabitants
have not witnessed since the days of their
childhood. The North East, the Elk, b.
hernia and Sassafras rivers all, for the mer-
est trifle in cost, with a Board of able Com
missionels, could he made sources of i'm,
mense wealth in fish, both herring and
shad, in a very short time. No expense
would be required for tish-ways in any of
these rivers; and no poisonous chemicals,
the refuse of factories is emptied into them
to destroy the fish. Every thing is favora-
BILE to the best results at minimum cost.
The Susqueharna river is perhaps the best
shad river in the United States. 1t affords
an abundance of sweet cold water, which
comes tumbling toward the Bay in sue
cession of rapids over a rocky, gravelly
bottom, with no artificial obstruction, or
navigation by boats to disturb the fish.
The shad caught five, ten and fifteen miles
above the mouth of the river are the larg,
est. finest, and best favored shad to be
found any where in the world, and will
compare with the far-famed salmon and
white fish of the lakes in delicacy. By a
county so we'll understood millions of dol
lars could be added to the wealth of the
county by the fish trade. Why import
inferior fish from cold Labrador, when mil
lions of far superior fish could be had at
our own doors to supply the home demand,
and create an export trade that would add
largely to the wealth of the county9
If it was sure thing that 5000 barrels
of herring and shad could be packed every
Spring at any of the large fishing shores in
the county, preparations would be made to
do that amount of business. That such a
business could be established firmly, the
experience in stocking rivers artiticially has
proven beyond doubt.
If the people of Cecil county think OF
developing the wealth of the county and not
of stocking the pockets of politicians only,
they will send delegation to the Legisla
ture next Winter with intelligence and
ability enough to attend to this business
properly.