The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-08
For the Dhpa:ch.I

For the DSlDatCu.J
inflammation About FoHd.Fiss. OF the
Observation-Disclosures the Decrease o!
Catch of $50 and EG7S. Furnished
by the Virginia Fish-ant-GaEne Ffo-
.cr:fye Association.
In the spring Of 1910 there were three
distinct rms OF herring in the waters OF Inc
Potomac. The first was an unusually large
run OF branch herring. which, when cut
and cleaned, present white appearance
on the inside: the second very large run
OF clut. which are black in the belly; and
the third an unprecedented run OF gold
backs, which, when cut and cleaned, pre-
sent q dim color upon the inside. Those
last-namcd herring are the finest in size ana
quality that visit Nlrgina's waters, ana sell
dom appear III large quantities. during
that season there were within lew OF
1S,5O0,Q00 herring tub measure) landcd IN
Alexandria. OF this amount 10000 barrels
in round numbers were sailed ana packed
hy resident fish-curerS; and when the sea-
son was over. and the fishermen stopped at
Alexandria for settlement with their agents,
all that had been sailed and packed In
The CITY and on the shores were cast
together. and the aggregate found TO
be 100000 barrels. And in addition 10 Inc
fish that were barrelled on the shore, IL
was estimated that 20,000,0O0 were sofa 10
farmers for food and manure, estimating
the 5000 barrels which were packed on the
shores at 500 each. 1t will create al aggrc-
gate OF A., 500.0 600. TO this add the 20,OOo,-
900 sold on shores and the 1s,500,000 sent to
Alexandria, and it shows total catch OF
Sc .00O, 900. The last springs yield fell be-
low !, 200, 000-a difference Of 81, 0O0,OO0 be-
tween the highest and lowest catch made ut
any period in the history OF the Potomac,
cycept during the late civil war, when but
few fishermen We're permitted by military
authorities to haul their seincS. In the
spring OF 1910 there were also three large
runs Of shad- the first those that usually
come with the branch herring and spawn
on the river flats and in its branches, the
second those that come with the glut her
ring and spawn in deep water, and the third
a very large run OF May shad, more gener-
ally known among fishermen as stump
tailS-nnd when the season was over the
catch was estimated ut 100000 III round
numbers. During the season that has Just
past there were only some 100000 caught,
from $4,000 to 10000 less than the White
House landing, on the Potomac a short
distance below Mount Vernon, has been
known to catch, season after season, for
wears in succession, and only some few
thousands below what Chapman's Landing,
Frcestone Point, Pomonkey, Gut Landing,
stony Point, Greenway, Bryan's Point,
Monkeys Point, and Ferry Landing have
each been known to catch; and in search
ing for the causes that have produced this
vast decrease in supplies we find that the
prey OF eeiS on the spawn and young OF
both shad and herring have proved the most
destructive. Hitherto mon have taxed their
resources to the utmost in the catch OF her.
ring and shad, while cells have been leit IN
nominally an undisturbed state to multiply,
and have increased their numbers sufficient
~ TO dcyour nearly al deposits Of spawn
and destroy The young OF both natural and
artificial production, and thereby prevent
propagation multiplication by generatlons).
and it is generally believed by experienced
fishermen that all attempts at replenishment
in advance OF measures for the wholesale
reduction OF eels will prove 4 failure.