Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-25
TIE POTOMAC FISHERIES.
Their Decline, and the Remedy

THE POTOMAC FISHERIES.
Their Decline, and the Remedy.
In Health Officer Townshend's valuable report
lie treats ounder the head Of Marine Products')
ron the important matter of our river fisheries,
as follows:
The subject of marine products, when taken
beyond our markets, and the protection of the
Potomac fisheries in general, can hardly be said
to be one coming exactly under the health de-
partment. Yet 1t is one which must come home
to every citizen OF our District, and as 1 find
myself the only Official who comes directly in
contact with the service l propose to point out
few facts in regard thereto and then suggest
a plan by which 1 think a remedy in part at
least for growing evil can be obtained.
numerous In the Potomac river as to Interfere
to certain degree with navigation. This state
ment am not prepared to vouch for, or SUBJ
stantiate, but it is certain that fifty years ago
the supply was so very far in advance Of the de-
mand that enormous quantities of shad and her
ring were every year banked upon the fishing
shores and used as fertilizers for land In the VI
cinity. We need not go to the Oldest inhabitants
to be told OF 1OO 900 to 900 herring and 10000
to 10000 shad being caught at single haul,
At many Of our fisheries You can hear
yet in the prime of life, who have done the
catching in many such instances, and who now
speak Of them with a sorrowful shake of the
head, which means, Those days are passed and
gone, never to come again."
Gradually year by year have the fisheries de-
cl1ned. until now not one person who follows the
business OF fishing with any degree OF success
can be found. The fishermen have been hoping
against hope for years, until they have finally
accepted the conclusion OF Othello, that their
cupat1on Is gone.
large majority of the fishing shores on the
Potomac, that twenty years ago were dotted
with the cabins Of the fishermen. and from
season the glow and glare Of numerous
fires and lights giving to the river shores
the appearance OF one continuous camp or
wilderness The underground has enveloped
the w1ndlass that once went round to the merry
tune OF the fisherman's song, and the cabins have
heap OF ruins. 1t is the fisherman himself who
is to blame, however, and now it becomes neceS-
sary that the strong hand of law should step In
and protect him from himself. AS an illustra-
on of the rapid decline of these fisheries, which
furnish food to so many Of our people, will cite
the history Of one shore, going back but ten years.
WHAT THE FISHERIES WERE YEARS AGO.
The ''StOny Point" shore Is situated about
twenty-five miles from Washington, on the Vir-
gin1a side, and has been considered one Of the
finest fishing shores on the Potomac. In 1865
the shad and herring caught at this shore during
the season sold for $50 2O3.92 In 1878, with fish
bringing higher prices, they sold for $6O92.4s,
falling off of s24,111.H in its earnings. The
first days in May are usually considered about
the best in the season for fishing. On the first
and second days of May, 1868, there were caught
at the sony Point shore aosa shad
ponding days in 1878 there were but 1898 shad
and 10, 692 herring caught. On the days named
1868 the receipts from sales OF these fish ag-
gregated 81, 26ss IS, with shad selling at from IS
$50 per hundred and herring at from 81 to $3.50
per thousand.
In 1878 the sales aggregated 1916 80 with shad
:eling at from = to $40 and herring from S. to
IS. And this Is the history OF all the fishing
hores on our river. In 1868 one firm rented
three shores paying for the three an annual
rental OF g. In 1878 two OF these shores re-
hli rod ynrfh
outfit, while the third rented for $500.
FISH MURDER.
Now, this fearful decrease in our finest food
iSh and corresponding decrease In the valuation
OF property along the Potomac, is mainly due to
everlasting: to prolonged and continuous fish
ng, fishing in season and out of season. day and
night without interim. OF late years fishermen
seem to have increased as rapidly as the fish
have decreased, until the river bed has become
itself but a network of nets. 1t is almost an i'm
possibility for the Shad and herring to reach their
spawning grounds, and 1t has been truly said
that no water reaches the bay without passing
through the meshes of many nets. There are
three styles OF net used in fishing here the large
''se1ne," which Is hauled by man, horse or steam
power; the pound" net which remains station
airy, fishing only in shallow water or outside
the channel; and the '.gill-net" which fishes any
where, everywhere, and all the time These gill
nets have multiplied largely Of late years, aud
fairly interlace zach other from the Long bridge
to WtcOmicO bay.
The large seines usually "cut out" about the
Goth to the 25th of May, but the gill nets con-
tinue on throughout the month of June. July,
and in fact the entire year; Fishing In the
channel and out of 1t; sunk to any desired
depth they catch f1Sh on their emigrations In
the deepest OF most shallow water. 1t is the
continuous fishing OF the hundreds of these nets
which infest the Potomac that results in the
great decrease, and which, If not prevented
soon, Will entirely eradicate Shad and her
ri ring from its waters iees During the month onsa
brought t to our Mharyes and of this
shad,-.'producers" Now if fishing had been
these 10000 shad would have remained in the
river and the 5000 females would have deposit
ed their spawn. ustponder then for a moment
upon the number Of fish which have been de-
stroyed by removing these 10, 900! Some persons
estimate the number of eggs in "roe" shad at
hundreds of thousands and even millions, but
suppose we place it at the modest estimate of
10000 and 1t is found that 100, 900 900 have
been taken from the river after the 1st Of June
by this pernicious system Of everlasting. II
In the river, and even One-han the number
Matched, stock Of $4,000, 900 shad or enough to
supply our markets fully for five years would
have been the result. And indeed there is a que5-
ton OF the fitness for food of these fish taken
from the water when almost in the very act OF
spawning. We would not tolerate for a moment
advanced stages OF pregnancy, yet persons are
found daily in the month OF June buying shad
from our market with the spawn so far maturei
as TO be OOZing from them.
WHEN THE SALE OF FISH SHOULD BE PROHIBITED
The season for Shad and herring virtually ends
on May 31st and think the sale of these fish
should be prohibited after that date. To be
sure it would be much better could we prohibit
their being caught, but legislation relating to
the Potomac Is invOlvedin great difficulty, owing
to its being the dividing line between the states
Of Maryland and Virginia. and one old compact
anti-dating even the articles OF confederation
which promises that any legislation affecting
the Potomac shall be confirmed by both states
before it shall be valid.
bill was introduced in the legislature of
Maryland In 1876, which effectually covered this
subject and which would have been OF grea
value If passed, but for some reason nothing
came of it.
There is one step the District Of Columbia can
take, and this, II taken, might, in its agitation
point out more fully to our anceStors-th.
States OF Maryland and virginia-the necesstyO
uniting upon some line of action looking to tn,
protection of the Potomac fisheries. We can
petition Congress to enact such q law prohibit
Ing the sale Of Shad and herring in the DiStric
after May 31St In any year, and, after the man
ner of our game laws make 1t a penalty to eX
pose for sale or have In possession any such fish
after the period named I would recommend
that action be taken to secure such legislation
at the cOmming session OF Congress.
SPEAKING OF MANS WAYS when going to
have coat made, the Cincinnati Conmsrctd.
asks, t'Does he stay to say that second grade
drilling will do for the cOattail Innings? Does
he notice that the buttons are very eXpen Sive.
- hot I,av md