The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-25
THE LAST RUN OF sMEITs
A school or $4,000. 900 In the Hackensaek
on their Way to the Sea.


The smelt season closed two weeks ago
Tho fishery this spring was very productive.
Millions we're taken from Cheesequake and
westchestor creeks. and the Raritan. Hudson.
Hackcnsack. and Passaic rivers sent large
supply TO the New York market. Tho smelts
are taken in small nets during the spawning
season. As this Is slowly but surely decreasing
the supply. Fish Commissioners have boon in
vostigating the subject with Wow to artificial
propagation. 1t IL claimed that this delicate
fish. like the shad and salmon. invariably re-
turns to its birthplace. Ii reaches maturity
within two years, and returns to its spawning
beds every spring.
Major Ferguson. the Maryland Fish Commits
sioner, is credited with the first successful at
tempt at artificial propagation. He stripped
tho different sexes like trout. and found the
eggs IA adhesive AZ glue. They were impreg-
mated with much difficulty. We arc informed
that he last year Matched only 100000 out Of
several millions. The fry was turned loose
into the Raritan river. near New Brunswick.
where the Major made his experiments
The New Jersey Fish Commissioners have
Matched from 5000 900 to 100000, and sent
them on their way to salt water. They squeezed
out the spawn upon fine gored wire trays. The
trays were then placed one above the other In
circular cans SO arranged as to allow free
wator circulation. The loss in Matching. how
ever IL said 10 have boon very great. =,
The most successful breeder thus far is Mr..
George Ricardo. Fish Warden for Bergen
county, \. J. Mr.. Ricardo resides in Hacken-
sack. The sand banks In the river near his
homo are fqyorite spawning beds Tor snelts.
He spread his nets, and began to catch spawn
9e 3D. IF S Sr9 Ipe PST% sn2 bl SSPs
nottcd eight hundred pounds in one morning,
Over three tons were caught altogether. Clouds
Of fish hung upon the skirts OF the shoals 81
smolts. and devoured the spawn. The eels
were especially voracious. They followed the
spawning Ash into the nets. and attacked them
within the meshes. From twenty To- thirty
pounds OF cells We're caught in single haul.
As an Illustration Of their rapaciiy. Mr. Ricardo
says that thoy frequently take up the spawn OF
the shad before i is cast. and be instunred one
case whore n shad was caught with an coils
Tho smot is a very delicate FISH. and dies
soon after it is taken from the water. As soon
as caught, Mr.. Ricardo stripped the females
pressed from them with the thumb and fore
| finger They stuck To the screen IKE gum
arabic. When the screen was well covered with
eggs. the males were stripped over them. The
screen was then placed IN large pan. and water
| poured over its side until the eggs and melts
rcd with tho palms Of tho hands until tho melt
| and spawn were well mixed, after when the
mixture was spread around with a feather. The
| screens were next put at tho bottom OF square
boxes. whore living water ran through thoul
| every second. The boxes had Stats at the front
and back and the flow Of water was unre-
| strained.
The eggs were Matched within nineteen days
| The fry was kept in the box three days. A.
soon as the yOlk sacks We're absorbed the young
| fish began to die. and were released. Out OF
| G5.O0O.O0O eggs over ninety-ilve per cent. were
| Matched, and this great school are now on theil
| way to the ocean. Mr.. Ricardo says that theJ
| will return next spring, but will not be taken
| for market until tho following year. when they
| will have reached their full size. His nets ar,
| made with great care. and any smelt one yeal
| old can easily run through the meshcs. After
| the males and females are stripped they ar,
| ready for market, The spawn that has hereto
| fore been wasted IL thus turned into millions 81
| young fish. and the fisheries can never run out
Mr.. Ricardo estimates On average Of 2O.OOl
| eggs To- each female. Each egg is about
| thirticth Of an inch Ia diameter. and ho think,
| they viii run nearly thousand 10 the squar,
| inch. Each female carries two long roes, botl
| a perfect mass OF eggs. The fish are silverl
| and so transparent that sunlight goes through
| thcm. MAJOR Ferguson. i 10 said. found murl
| difficulty in securing proportiVnate supply o
| males while netting the Tartan, but Mr., Ricarl,
| makes no such complaint Of the Hackensack
! Tho males were there in abundance. The Hack
| ensark smells have an exceptionally line flavor
| and are in great demand among fish dealers
! Mr.. NcardO's crop l. already engaged year il
| advance 10y prominent dealer in Fulton Mar
! ket He says that the smct fisheries Of New
! York ana New Jersey are now in thor inian >
| and prcdt Is that they Will soon gain world
| wide reputation.