Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-03

The PoToMAc F1suER1Es.-For some time
past the United States Fish Commission las
been endeavoring to obtain accurate STATISTICS
of the annual catch Of fish in the Potomac lor
the last forty or fifty years. From scatterea
data it is evident that there has been S'St'-
ling decrease in the yield of what was onoe the
greatest fish producing river 10 the world. lhe
amount caught now is only about ode half OF
one per cent. of the yield, ascribed to Dg
trustworthy authorities, nearly halt c'u'u3g
ago. But the Fish Commission desires to lenTn
with accuracy the successive steps Of this o.
crease, and the amount Of falling OH Tor eaon
year; aud from this foundation ct estaol'sheu
facts il will be enabled to trace with ceItsloty'
and in msnHer to carry conviction, inc CAUSES
Of The decline and the extent to Waich eacn IS
to be held blanlable, and to poiot oat: as re,
suit of knowledge of the causes, tka Wl0est
remedies to be adopted. When this has been
done the Commission will be able to lay Gaiore
Congress and the legislatures of Maryland aud
Virginia an exhibit, whose facts and ln1erences
drawn theretron, will bo placed beyond 'qaes
ton, aud which, in its present shO"lngs, ar
the tendencies discovered will be SO alar'
iog that it will deserve, and, it Is hoped, W.:
tive authorities which havo jurlsdieuon over
tho Potomac. Appropriate concurrent eRIsls-
ton by them, designed to check the practices
which have depleted the river, would, 1t -
believed, 10 conjunction with a restocking OF
the stream by the Fish Commission, 90 far to-
wards restoring to the Potomac its former pro.
duetveness. In it's work of collecting facts o1
the subject, the commission has 10 most casts
received the effective corporation OF those fro:l
whom Information was sought. Propretors 1T
landings and fish dealers have ohcerlully fur
nshed their books for inspection. and 10 SOM,
instances have given time to the explanation at
their records. Valuable information has bcca
thus derived. But in one direction the com.
mission has met with an unexpected rebuff. AT
many of the landing Incomplete records, or
none at all have been kept, the fish be.og sent
Immediately to agents 10 Alexandra, whose
books thus give the only accurate showing 'i
the catches at such landings Some OF lheso
aeen,s refuse to permit their books 10 be i'll
spected, unless tho privilege, which they cs'i'
mato 10 value at from $500 to 81. 900 bo boughd.
As the results of tho commissions uosefsa
labor 10 cleaning this information will espec''
ally benefit tho fishermen, and, consequently,
their agents, the refusal Of the latter to ca.
operate is rather remarkable. 1t is to be hoped
that this decision will be reoonsidered. Private
interest and public spirit point 10 this case 10
| tho same direction, and every one who can ia.
otste the commissions lsbors by furnishing
reliable information, from old books or other
wise, as to the past produotiveness of the P'.
tomac should gladly do so. No Washiugtonian
or Alexandrian can be Indifferent to efforts
| which are designed to restore, in time, lost
trade, to give employment to many who arc
now idle. and to bring into our mar kets largely
Increased quantities of cheap and nutritious
| food - Wash. Star.