Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-02-17
FISH CULTURE.
Its Importance to Tennessee, and the
Facilities She Offers-.-The Ne
cessity for Stringent Pro-
lection Laws.

lection Laws.
We publish the following letter
from Col. Geo. f. Akers, gentleman
informed upon the subject
of what he writes, to Hon. w. N. Cow
den, Representative from Marshall |
county:
NASHVILLE, Feb. 5, 1877.-My Dear
Sir: In reply to your esteemed favor
of the 18th ult., on the subject of fish
and their culture in Tennessee, the
adaptability of our streams with their
primitive abundance, | will say that
the waters and climate of cur State
are as favorable to fish culture as any
| know in the Union. Our rivers,
lakes and riyulets are generally clear,
pure and sufficiently cool for the
health and rapid rearing of the best
varieties of game fish. They leap from
the hills and mountains in beauty and
gladness, and make their way through
valleys and plains. the most attractive
and fertile in America. | regret to
say the most of them have been des-
poiled of their finny treasures, by their
ruthless and unnecessary slaughter by
lazy sportsmen and pot-hunters, who
use the net, trap, seine, gun, gig, spike
and every conceivable destructive
means of killing. This is not general
~ for prudent and exhllaratlng sport
or for profit; but from an unrefiect-
ing propensity, which seems to be nat
ural with those who engage in it, with
out reference to present uses or to tu-
ture supply. In this way it has come
that few of our streams, especially in
Middle and West Tennessee, have suf-
ficient in them, either to supply our
tables or to reward the exertlons of
the eager and industrious angler.
This is deeply to be regretted, for
our people, young aud old, are thus
deprived of one Of the purest, health
| iest:and most exhilarating of outdoor
recreations, and their tables of one of
| the choicest articles of human diet
/ In our cities large numbers OF fish are
/ imported; but it cannot be denied that
| these fish, generally several days dead,
are never so good as when entirely
fresh, and are often positively unwhole-
some as food.
To remedy this condition of affairs
two things are required: First, abso-
| lutte protection from the wanton de-
struction of fish; and, second, the re-
stocking of our lakes and streams
Time, by slow processes, would resup-
| ply, in many years, the original stock
of native fish, except such varieties as
have been wholly annihilated. But
this cannot be assured while the de-
structive agencies which pestI Dyed
them are permitted to continue. We
want, in the first place, stringent law
for the protection of fish in all the
streams Of the State. In the next
place we want a speedy restocking of
the streams and lakes with live fish,
no matter how small. Accidents to
eggs, under natural conditions, retard
more seriously than all else rapid pro-
duction. A single spring rise will de-
stroy millions of eggs. If the eggs
are Matched and the living fish are
turned loose, most of them will
take care of themselves. 1t is Gu
rious fact that nature bestows upon
fish a most wonderful fecundity.-
They will, according to kind, deliver
to the waters from $4,000 to 1000
eggs in season. Evidently this is a
| provision of nature to keep up the sup
| ply against all natural destructive
agencies. The spawning fish is pur-
sued by hosts of enemies in the water,
which consume the eggs, besides the
accidents of floods and other accidents,
or more properly adverse incidents TO
their qualification aud increase
From the causes referred to, it is esti-
mated that not more than one in one
hundred of the eggs delivered produce
an adult fish. IF we allow thoughtless
people to increase this vast per cent
age against qualification and growth,
it is not strange to find our streams
fishless, the angler without reward,
and our tables dependent On often i'm
pure importations.
The propagation of fish by artificial
methods, as has been discovered and
proven of late years, is so interesting
aud so simple and so cheap that streams
may be re-supplied with any appropri-
ate species of fish, with little trouble
and cost. The artificial taking of eggs
and their formulation is known to be
as easy and sure as the planting let
tuce or tobacco bed. The States OF
Connecticut and New York took the
lead in this business, and the United
States, deeming the subject of suffic-
ieut importance, have appropriated
money aud esta blished Matching houses
for the purpose of aiding the people in
obtaining resupplies of the lost, and
introducing new varieties of those
suited to the waters, into the streams
of the country. From this source the
Cumberland and Tennessee rivers
have been supplied with shad. yir-
gina and other States have adopted
the same system, and are doing grand
work for their destitute streams. These
hatching- houses, it is carefully com
puted, procure from 95 to 90 per cent
of living fish from the whole number
of eggs obtained. You will see, there.
fore, when it is desirable to stock
streams that are deficient, the advan
tage of the artificial method is abOu
So to / over the natural course Of
things. Even literally deducting fol-
the destruction of the small living fish
after they are turned loose to shift fol
themselves, in the rap!dity of restock
ing streams and lakes, the ratio of the
artificial method would be as from 81
to rs to over the natural. You car
make the calculation as to the differ,
ence of time required by the two. ]
would therefore suggest the passage Of
a law securely protecting the fishes il
all the waters of Tennessee-the ap,
pointment of Fish Commissioner Of
three persons, and the establishment
of say, three or mere Matching houses
for the artificial propagation of fish
The duties of the Commissioner should
require them to see to the faithful ex-
ecution Of the protection laws, to dis.
tribute fish from the Matching houses
to streams that are deficient, and see
that it is properly performed and APP
piled. I feel assured that the cost
would be almost infnitesimal COM
pared with the immense benefit de-
rived from it by the people of our State
at large. | could so at much greater
length into detail, out ] trust the full
knowledge of the members of the Gen
eral Assembly on the subject will sug-
gest all that is proper to be done In the
premises, and that IL aeiH be done.
Your friend, Gro. +. AKERs.
To Hon. w. n. Cowden, House OF
Representatives
AVertisIng.