The New York herald., 1877-07-11
A FlS II STORY.

WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF FlsH ALONG THE
MEASURES TO PREVENT THE USE OF INsTRU-
MENTs OF DESTRUCTION.
For the past two three seasons those sportsrnen
who are in the habit nj fishing the waters round
the Jersey coast have been making great complaints
Of the wholesale dcpopuation OF those waters winch,
they say, has been caused BY the constant uso oil
nets, traps, gill nets and iykes, by the professional
fishermen who catch shad In large quantities
for the New York market Last year so much nnu-
was brought to bear the New Jersey Lcqisla-
reference 10 this matter that a bill was passed
Tor the protection Of game ash, entirely iorbddIng
the usco any OF the nets in the waters Of that State
PLuNDEEiSG NEW
1t Is now claimed by tho members Of the New York
amateur shng clubs that after the passage Of this
those persons who had been engaged in tho fisheries
the Jersey side moved their nets the New York
shores aud established themselves there, chiefly along
OF The Legislature OF this State those Interested
in the preservation Of tho game Ash managed
TO have law proposed similar IN tenor TO the
New Jersey awi but owing to the pressure of bus
during the late session this got beyond
rs lrst reading. However the law OF New York In
regard ID fisheries, as II now stands, enacts that
scncs or ncts be used III tho waters oi the State
provided that tho meshes be not less than four and
REcaLEss DESTRUCTION oy FISH,
The amateur hshing clubs iurthcr claim that, In
spite OF that law the staten Island fishermen con
stanty use nets constructed with tw o-nch mcshcs,
that multtudcs OF FISH slau ghtered before having
reached maturity and while they stll unit ior the
market II Is SAID that the fishermen XII
these tor tho purpose OF selling them to
manu- uact urers oil oil and for manure The
result OF this robbng the waters millions OF mma-
turc fish IS SAID to he the utter destruction OF ali sport
around staten Island, and the CLUB claim that In
year or two unless some measures be taken TO
check the draught there Will bo literally no moro sh
In New York Bay They assert tina. already
very murksd decrease In tho quantity OF
fish captured by sporsmen may be noticed, though
the nuisance has only prevailed our waters during
one year The members OF one club ON tho Staten
Island shore say that their club house might well
be situated Broadway, this year. since there Is
iyRe above their sito and another below II, while "A
Gull net on tn. Long Island sidc cnectuny shuts out
all fish IRON their reach.
THE FISHERY COMMISSIONERS SPEAK.
The Excelsior and Otner fishing clubs own M sites
aloug the Staten Island shore recently entered into
communication with the Commissioners or Fisheries
Of New York state through The medium OF their c0un-
sc Sir. Morgan j. 0'Bricn. This gentleman received
In reply, letter from Mr. Robert d. Roose
welt, ono OF the commisso advising the
clubs to take stringent measures against those who
might inirDgc the aw, "a the only way Of preventing
the depletion Of our waters, which, he thinks, Will
surely ensue II these people 10 allowed to ther
ykes and GIL nets He also represents that u IL the
duty OF the clubs to protect tho sh in return tho
privileges which they enjoy.
TIE OTHER SIDE OF
On the other hand the fishermen state that the law
II now stands is unconstitutional, and they de-
termined 10 tsi the matter IN the courts II
any attempt DC nude TO interfere with them.
Mr. Morgan j. O'Drien has applied 10 Justice
Mcehan. Of Il clmond county, Tor warrants
against all those using the alleged unlawful
ncis. He VIII have them arrested to-day on "a Grim
inal charge, whcreupon a preliminary examination
will take pace IL is stated also that many abuses
prevail amo1g the fishermen along the Hudson, and
tbut many amateurs ure only waiting for tho result oil
these proceedings to commence war Tor protec-
ton Of the fish along that river.