The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-04-03
'Meke Gettl Mkis
ELKTON, APRIL 3. 1875.
FISH PROTECTION.

On our first page we give proceedings of
a convention in Hartford, Connecticut for
the object of forming an association for the
protection of game and fish. Much apathy
as we'll as ignorance will have to be over
come before any concerted movement in
the proper direction can be hoped for in
this State, and we conceive that better
understanding can be gained of the object
of such associations and the way they are
conducted, by study of the proceedings
of convention assembled for the purpose
of taking steps to cooperate in the protec-
ton of fish and game.
If the property holders on the rivers of
Maryland would meet i'll convention and
resolve to adopt means to restore the value
of their now useless fishing properties, we
doubt not thatin few years fishing property
to the value of millions of dollars could be
added to the wealth of the State, and y
bountiful supply of cheap fish would be
added to the food of the people. Thirty
years ago herring sold on the Susquehanna
for dollar barrel green, on the fishing
l.
at still earlier period they were much
cheaper Shad were caught in large num-
bers, also at those fisheries, and sold for
correspondlngly low prices. Fifty years
ago and prior to that time, shad were
taken in the North East and Elk rivers in
the shallow parts of the streams where
they were fordable when the tide was out,
and sold as low IS four dollars a hundred.
Heavy wagons used to be loaded with fine
shad caught in North East river within or
on the borders Of the present town limits
And so with all our rivers. The late dis
coveries made in the art of propagating
fish and stocking rivers with migratory
kinds, has demonstrated the fact, that at
an almost nominal expense all of our rivers
could be replenished with fish as abun-
dainty almost as they were hundred years
ago. A million or more shad and herring
spawn could be secured at any of our fish
ing shores in the fishing season, at very
trifling cost, and it is now an established
fact that 80 per cent of the fish eggs pressed
from the fish are Matched in the artificial
contIivanceS which are used for the purpose
by the fish culturists, while only about 1
per cent of the young fish produced in the
natural way escape the thousand enemies
which surround them, and reach maturity.
Persons who are opposed to all improve
ments and stick out for "the good old
way in everything, fight against the pres
ent lame laws we have for the protection
of fish and game, and argue that laws have
been in existence for quarter Of century
for this purpose, and that the fish have
steadily grown scarcer. But laws that are
not intelligent acts nor intelligently exc
cutcd, are no argument against the princi-
pie contended for. 1t must first be asccr-
tanned what legislation is proper for pro-
lection, and then procure the passage of
such laws and have them faithfully carried
out. And the only intelligent way to
accomplish this object is for the property
owners on the rivers to form associations
for the purpose of fostering the fishing
interest, appoint committees to investigate
and make reports embracing all the infor
NATION to be collected bearing on the ques-
ton; point out the abuses which are prac-
tced in the fishing business and suggest
remedies; and if systematic effort should
add hundred fish to each one at present
taken annually, everybody would be share rs
in the benefit.
When the seines commence hauling in
the Elk river where they sweep the flats,
bushels of spawn are hauled ashore and
destroyed, which, if allowed to remain
nndisturbed where the mother fish had
deposited it, tens of thousands of young
fish would be added to the stock which
would in future years visit the waters where
they had been Matched.
The subject is inexbaustible and entirely
beyond the limits of a newspaper article to
do more than drop few hints, which may
induce the public, perhaps, to inquire into
the matter; and if inquiry is once started
the subject is so inviting that it cannot fail
to result in much good.