Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-08
Potomac Fish.

A writer in the Richmond Dispatch says -
In the spring of 1S40 there were three distinct
runs of herrings in tho waters of the Potomac.
The first was an unusually largo run OF branch
herrines. which, whom cut and cleaned, present
white appearance on tho inside the second a
very largo run Of glut, which are black in the
belly; and the third al unprecedented run OF
gold backs, which, when cut and cleaned, pre-
sent dim color upon the inside Those last
named behring's arc the tino:t in sl&o and quality
that visit Virginia's waters, and seldom appear
in large quantities. During that season there were
within few Of IS. 800 0CO horr!ngs tub measure)
landed in Alexandria. OF this amount lO,UOJ
barrels in round numbers wore sailed and pack
cd by resident fahcurcrs; GEt when the season
was over and the fishmen stopped at alexandria
for settlement with their agents, all That mad Deen
sailed and packed in the city and on tho shores
were cast together, and tho aggregate louna &c 70
be l05 0G0 barrels. And in addition to the fish
that were barrolled on tho shore, it was estlmat:
ed that 20, 900 0CO were sold to farmers for food
and manure, ostinstinG tho q, 600 barrels which
were packed On the shores At 90 each. 1t Will
create an aggregate of a., 49, eco. 10 THIS add
the 90 OO0 0C0 scld on the shores and tho IL. $780,
600 sont to Alexandria, and il shows total catch
of Sc 100000. The last springs yield fell below
0V0 OOO-a difference Of 81. 600 600 between ths
highest and lowest catch made at any period IN
the history Of the Potomac except during the
late civil war, when but fow f:hermen were per.
mltloQ Dy mllLArv Au-norILle3 W Eaul IAelI
seines In tho spring OF 1910 thore were also
three large runs Of shad--the list those that U.s.
ualiY come with the branch mornings and spawn
on the river h.ts and in its branches, tho second
those that come with the glut behring's and
spawn IL deep wafer, and thu'thlrd very large
run or May shad. more generally known among
f.herplen as STUMP. tas-and when the SEASON
was over The catch w.,s ostlmsted st 100 900 IN
round numbers. Daring ia 'o,=on That has
r. o,h.ra were only somo 20 goo caught. from
!o.VUV 20 O.V'T 1e"-'-." tho ~ hlte House land
Mount Vernon, haS beeu known TO catch, season
after genson Tor years il succession, snd only
some few thousands below what Chapman's
Landing, FreestOne Point. Pononkey, Gut
Landing, Stony, Point, Groenway, Brysnts
Point Monkeys Point aid Ferry Landing
have each been known to catch and in Starch
ing for the CAUSES that have produced this vast
decrease in supplies va ttld that he prey OF cells
On the spawn and young Of both shad and her.
rings taye proved the most destructive. Hilher-
to men have ssxed their reaource3 TO the utmost
in tho catch cf herring and shnd, while oas have
been left in nCminally an undistu- bed state 70
multiply, and have inCro-aad their numbers
sufficiently to deVour nearly all deposits OF
spawn and destroy tho young Of bo.n natural
and artificial production, and thereby prevent
propagation multiplication by generations and
it is generally believed By experienced fisher.
men that all attempts atrep.enishment IL sd-
vance of measures for the wholesale reduction
of cells Will provo q tuiinro.