Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18

THE WASHIN0TO0 FISH HARRIET.
Feed Products or the Chesapeake
BAY and Potomac Rlver-R e1Ore Of
the Fish Inspector.
Mr.. c. Ludington, the ms ector OF marine
products under the Board OF Health, has
transmitted his annual report to the board,
and it is very interesting one. Appended
to 1t are statements showing the quantity of
marine products-fish, oyste rs. &c-laudet
at our wnarves for the year ending Septem-
Der 80, 10 D. the most of which is consumed
In the District The report for the year
June last, 464,2i5 shad, Sc, $50 taylors, and
1,6I4 ,465 herring were received; from May to
July 1,2i0 sturgeon, and during the year
So ,2os lunches of fish, the whole aggregating
',OO2, Oi9 pounds OF fish. There were also re-
ceived during the year 3O5, 1871 bushels OF oys-
tiers, the largest number Gags bushels) in
The condemnations aggregated 60 snad 2 lbs
herring, s,2S5 punches OF fish. Is sturgeon
5,42s bushels OF oysters, AZ ,6I5 CLAIMS, aud
64, 500 crabs, the value of which if they were
of wholesome quality would be 81 02i.S5
A COMPARATIVE STATEMENT
SHOWS the receipts for the years 10, ~ and
62se37, 4Gi,215 herring, 37s9, 500, 6,567 90
1,7i,465; taylors, 326, 200. Sc, S41, 43O bunch
fish. 553, 76l, So 29l 55I ,203; sturgeon 1875 si9
1,.40-total POUNDS Of fish, S56S s51 10 s2T .oi7
7O,2 0i9; oysters. 44S55i bushels. Ss9S73,
800 $50; CLAIMS, 524 900, 1,163 coo, 1ll0725;
crabs, $50 600, ~. go, and 446.525. The value
-
s10, 1895; 1875, 81 02f.S5-total, S2J,77272
THE SHAD FISHERY.
UnGer The head of shai Mr.. Ludingt1n
aIludGs to his statement in a previous report
that hhad are plentiful every third yea r, and
referring To the comparison says his state
meht Is borne out by it. He continues as
70 lows:
The shad fishing of 1875 has been the most
di: aStrous 10 fishermen ever known; with
the exception of about three shores the fish,
linen ,t pave lost money; am OF the opinion
Kinds OF fish is owing To the high winds
Which prevailed from about April 10th to the
LIST OF May, which, no doubt, drove the fish
eastward, thereby miss ing the Potomac
river in their passage up the Chesapeake
pay, ana as proof OF this the fish were
more abundant up the Chesapeake than they
nave been Tor q number of years. The shi o.
pers In Alexandria and Washington. who
were In the habit OF sending fish to Balti-
more, suspended operations about the Ist of
May, owing to the fact that prices were
much less there than here
Much having been said in regard TO shad
being eaten by cells, | would state that by
my own experience / learn that shad are
never attacked by eels except when hanging
In gill nets, and in nine cases out of ten only
the female shad is attacked, owing no doubt
TO It's soft nature, while the male Shad. be-
Ing harder, are seldom ever touched; thus
an enormous quantity of eggs are destroyed,
and 1T is safe TO say this may be considered
the most dangerous enemy the shai has
THE HERRING FISHERY.
Under the head of herring he saws :-"By
comparing the receipts of this fish with those
of last year ii will be noticed that there has
been very large falling Off This is ac-
counted for in q great measure by the high
winds mentioned above. AS there is great
9ecrease OF these hsh on all the shores of the
Potomac, would again urge the passage of
law prohibiting the catching OF herring
after the LIST day OF June of each year"
OTHER FISH.
Of sturgeon, he says they have been very
Plentiful this year. Whenever there is
scarcity OF shad and herring sturgeon are
very plentiful.
OF the fshes-perch, &c.-sold by bunch, he
says The f1sh which come under this head
nave not undergone sufficient decrease to
excite much comment, as the varieties of
these hsh are found the year round in the
Potomac. The fishermen were, however
compelled to go further down the river for
them THIS year, on account OF the heavy
rains.
OYSTERS
are next referred to, and he says: -" Here,
also, we have large decrease in The receipts,
which Is accounted for by reason OF the river
being frozen up last winter, compelling the
supply 10 be brought here by rail. When the
river is frozen, first quality oysters are
shipped north, and those received here are
small and Of inferior quality, but bring high
prices; thus a winter such as last makes il
profitable 10 the dealers"
Inc oysters condemned by the inspector
were considered unfit for food for different
reasons. A large quantity of what is termed
smothered oysters have been received
here, which were condemned when found
They are detected by small black spot on
the fiat or top she'll, near the center of the
oyster, caused by being transplanted too
thickly. They present firm appearance
and may be easily sold for good oysters
Another kind unit for food are what is
known as "sour oysters" which are also
easily sold for good oysters. By opening
them and examining the liquor, which is
thick and OF the nsisteEcy OF mOlasses, the
meat puffs up and becomes white. This is
caused by not having sufficient air while in
the vessel and becoming heated. Winter
Killed" oysters are easily detected, as the
shell OPENS ard the oyster drops out. They
are so called from the fact of being planted
In shallow water, and during the winter they
become chilled and die. TIE great majority
of the Oysters condemned during the winter
OF 1oif5 were OF this kind, and they are gen.
orally found during a hard winter. He had
also condemned oysters for another cause
After they are loaded the fishermen wash or
rinse them OF by throwing water over them.
short Time, and the oysters feeding on it,
II makes them sick, ami they soon die.
These are detected by an examination OF the
gills, which turn black.
UNsoUND FISH.
In examination OF fish, he finds by eXpe-
rlence that the surest indications of I'M
soundness is the sinking OF the eyes. In cases
where the fish has been drowned, which is
frequently the case in hauling q seine, or
where they are kept in live box, the eyes
and body puff out and the color changes and
these are easily detected. In some instances
perch, rock and catfish turn green under
heath from feeding on grass, and people re-
lUsc 10 Duy tDtlu on L. IleY are,
however, wholesome, and just as good as
any fish OF that species. Heated fish-those
which are brought here by steamers and
packed too thickly, and after landing are
stored in ice commence to spoil as soon as
they are exposed TO the air.
Many would suppose that fish which are
broken were unsound, but such is not the
case. Trout and taylors are of very soft
nature, aud when packed in ice they become
cut and broken, but are still in a healthy
condition and fit for food.
OPENING OF THE OYSTER TRADE.
The opening of the oyster trade this fall is
more favorable than II has been any year
since the war, the qualities are fine and
dealers experience difficulty in supplying
the demand for them. During the month OF
August oysters were landed at Alexandria,
Va, and being in violation of the corpora
ton ordinances, which forbids the landing
OF oysters in the shell prior to the S0th OF the
month, they were brought TO this market
and sold at reduced price. The Inspector,
therefore, again urges the passage OF a law
similar to that of Alexandria, as the fema lie
oysters are full OF spawn and not fit for food
AT that time. It may be incidentally stated
here that oyster catching in the Chesapeake
and It's tributaries gives ernnlOvp11nI Tn