Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-01-05
arex,oAzErTE VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
Potomac Fish.


To the editor of the Aleraudriu Gazette:'
Please publish the following COMMUNICATION,
taken from the Washington Critic, OF Monday
afternoon, and thereby greatly oblige several
gillcrs:
Ata late meeting Of the Academy Of Scien
ccs of Maryland was read the report of DR..
Pearson Chapman, jr, chairman OF the section
Of Ichthyology, ana also letter from Mr. Pear
son Chapman, sr., in which they profess to
imrart great deal of information about the
habits of sbad and herring, the effects oftresh-
els on the Potomac river, &c. They say shad
attain their growth in three or four years, the
male returning to the spawning ground at one
year old, while the female remains 10 the ocean
until two years old. At three years they weigh
about four pounds and live from five to twelve
years. Now this would be very interesting If
true but where is the proof? We assert there
is no proof aod it is the merest speculation;
but the speculatlons OF thoughtful practical
minds would be Interesting, and We scan the re-
mort carefully 10 determine whether the au-
thors are practical.
Chapman, jr., says: Twenty years ago
treslct of nearly years duration prevailed 10
this vicinity, and consequently the brackish
water extended much further up the river than
usually" Now it the upper part of the river
Was over full of fresh Water how could it be
full of salt at the same time? Can anything
hold itself twice tuIl of water at the same time
They say the dragging OF gill nets over the
grouod destroys the spawn OF the hSh.
Every one acquainted with nets knows that gill
nets are made OF the finest sewing thread aud
50 rigged as to float uear the top OF the water,
and as the river bottom is covered with sticks,
logs, &C., and the tide sweeps the nets along
ta nj in on
to even touch bottom; but they fail to say any
thing about hauling se!nes dragging the bot
tom. These seues are made OF very heavy
twlue and cables, strong enough to bear the
strain OF eight horses aud twenty. two or more
men heaving on them with capstans, and weigh
several tons. They must touch bottom 10 the
deepest part Of the haul, and consequently drag
very heavy on the shoalcr parts aud kill every
spawn on the bottom over which they drag,
aud each net drags over several square miles OF
the bottom, and that bottom the peculiar
spawning ground of the fish. Every practical
fisherman knows that sbad and herring only
visit our rivers for the purpose of spawning;
that they move rapidly until they had water
aud bottom suited to their purpose, and then
rest, rlpen, and spawn; hence a shore to be
profitable must be within reach of such grounds.
In seasons Of heavy rains the fish meet the
fresh water further dowo the river than in dry
seasons, and spawn lower down, and the lower
shores catch them; and vice versa, shore Is
of little value as q hauling shore unless fish
congregate there to spawn. They say the new
mode OF catching herring in the weir, if persist
cd in, will drive the fish away from the waters
entirely; but as the weirs are permanently FIX
ed in one place. and don't drag over the bot
tom at all and catch large quantities OF
= catfish, ces, and mullets (the ouy merit he
la. r b,, linz \ houn hao
well to explain how the welrs are to drive the
fish out They want herring propagated as
food for the ''cod and black bass that are seen
in large numbers about the mouths of our
rivers when the herring are making their exit.
This cxctes the smile of every fisherman, for
no one ever saw q cod or, black bass at the
mouth of the Potomac The cod is sea fish,
aud confined to uorskern waters; the black bass
is only found in streams aud mil!-pondS.
Now, We can't place much value upon the
speculation OF persons who make such absurd
statements, but the initiated are able to read
the report, between the lines, as follows: We,
Pearson Chapman & Son, owuers and opera
tors Of bauing shores, and acknowledged
champions OF the hauling seine interest. have
been working ever since the introduction OF
gill nets to prevent their use, knowing that if
men of small means could catch fish it would
reduce our profits, and rs nature kindly formed
the bottom OF the river adjacent to our land of
such material that fish will stop there to rest,
ripen, and spawn, it is clear that nature intend
cd us to have the exclusive righ to catch them,
and the masses not owning such lands, shall
have only the right to eat fish bought of US;
aud having failed thus far to have such laws
passed and enforced rs will protect US in the
rights 80 kindly given us by nature, We
now use our position as chairmao of the
section OF lchthology to procure your influence
rs scientist to whom the country are looking
for an increase of the food fishes to have such
laws passed and executed; and for this pur-
pose We give you this statement about the
habits OF fishes, aud the heretofore unknown
fact that large bodies Of fresh water cmptyng
into the Potomac at Georgetown, forces the
salt water higher up than usual, that you may
be Impressed with our great knowledge, and
We be able to cover the ''cat in the meal-tub.'
We have before US several copies ofthe AL.
exaudrla Gaz lite of June, 1870, 10 which arc
published series OF articles from the same au-
thorS under the naue of Haner, wherein they
say that bona hde citizens of theStates of Mary
land and Virginia have right to ish any kind
OF net they choose In any part of the river they
choose, except in the berths of hauling seins,
and that an effort was then being made to place
police boat on the river to arrest nou-resi
dents, which, being interpreted, means Cili-
zens OF Maryland and Virginia. we fud our
selves too weak to iniorce law to prevent yon
from catching your own fish, but We want you
to JOIN us IN driving off the residents of Wash.
ingtoo and the States, unless they rent our
hauling shores; but selfish as this is, it was fair,
because 1t was an open avowa of the princi
! pies held by them as representatives of the
hauling shore interest; but the report to the
Academy OF Sciences Was supposed to inform
the fish commissioners how they could increase
the quantity of food fishes for the benefit of
the masses, but instead of that it iutorms
them how they can enhance the value of Chap
man 4 Sons fishing shores at the expense of
the rest of mankind, and that is about all the
Information it does contain.
The Mexicans have superstition that the
ONLY anti6nta for tho hita af thn ta.ar1,,l "a