Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-24

Peter the fisherman, in the Sea of Galilcc. |
Seth Green's trout-I onds are profitable. The |
private trout-ponds ON Long Island are paving |
better than the best cultivated farms twice as |
large. Our Fish Commi, siOners tell us of |
the increase of salmon in the Penobscot, due |
to the Matching works at Bucksport. This |
year salmon reached the low price of s cents |
per pound The - black bass planted in
Cobbosseec0ntce lake few wears ago. have
multiplied that they are now numerous.
and attract large numbers to enjoy the fine
sport they afford They will soon be plenty
in all our inland waters.
believe water-neglected. ill-used water
if properly titled, to be much more valuable
than land, through its greater productive pow
ers--powers which are greater because we
have combination of two elements. both
land and water. helping and encouraging each
other IN the work of reproductiOn-and " here
the best species of fish, us salmon and trout.
can he cultivated, it is capable of Welding "A
revenue very far exceeding that of land alone.
Francis Francis, the leading fsh-culturist of
England, who has been many wears engaged
in the business. says "fwo or twenty, or
two hundred acres of water will produce
double the weight of animal food that two.
twenty, or two hundred acres of land will il
~ carefully titled, and with this striking diff
fcrcnce--that in case of the production as
regards land, there are very heavy working
and other expenses; III the case of water
there are comparatively few Fish, even if
left to themselves. will cat and grow and nature
will provide the means of sustenance, with
out either barns or stables. teams or fences
seeds or farming implements. or even drain
ing. Fish are our own produce, and worth
so much per pound in the market on any dav
we like to sell them; and if we do not sell
thcm why we shall not lose by keeping
them. for they cost us no money to feed a.
do bulocks or sheep. If we have enough to
export, they are n source of exchange and
wealth, and will relieve our overtaxed indus
try or, AT least. the effect of a large intro
duction of fish into our home provision-mar-
kets would speedily influence the price of
every other production"
Maine has the finest system of lakes ponds
rivers and brooks in the world, covering an
area of 2,0IS, 900 square acres of inland
water and well suited to the production of
tlsh-capable of producing food equal TO half
a million acres of the most fertile land in the
State. In fact, before our rivers were OBJ
>trncted by dams, and our fish butchercd on
their spawnng-b beds and DESTROYED bv nets
our rivers were swarming with elegant food
| fish--salmon, trout slIad and alcwivcs were
| abundant. The question that most concerns
Us is, can our fsh be restored? Yes. But
LIST. tsh-ways must be built over our dams
Z
tory fish. ID, our fish must be protected dur
ing their time of breeding. TO show what
can be done in the way of restocking rivers
| will refer to the river Galway in ireland
! quote from official reports: The salmon
! fisheries of the Galway are owned by Thomas
Ashworth. who came into possession of them
in 1852. They were in an exhausted condi-
ton. Mr.. Ashworth had good fiSh-ways built
over the dams, had the fishing restricted and
protection given to the fish on their breeding
grounds. The result was that the catch of
salmon rose in ten wears from 1000 to
10000" and Mr.. Ashworth made a fortune
out of his private enterprise The river Tay,
| in Scotland, shows a similar result. Trout
eggs were carried, a few years ago. from Eng
! land to far off Australia and planted in waters
where trout were unknown. To-day some
trout are taken there weighing e and pounds
and smaller ones are caught in great numbers
| Official statistics show that the salmon fish
cries of the Columbia river in Oregon are
worth over 81 100000 a year. | find by the
! L. :. Fish Commissioners report for 1876,
that X. ID. Hume. VIM. Hume, G. w. Hume
and Joseph Hume. who formerly lived in
Augusta. did business in canning salmon
worth $50 900; and that \. :. Hapgood.
another Augusta boy, put up $4,000 worth
! of salmon, making in all 5000 600 The
Kennebcc was originally as good a salmon
/ river, in proportion To its size, as the Column
ba. There is no reason why the fisheries of
the Kennebec, if properly developed. should
not produce a revenue of half Il million dol
! lars. What we lack Is suitable fish-wavs for
salmon shad and alewives to 90 up our rivers
where they can find gravel-beds on which to
spawn. few wears of intelligent and we'll
directed work will accomplish wonders. Fish
ways mHSt be built, and our nearly exhausted
| rivers must be rcstocked with salmon. etc.
| 1t is law of lchthyOlogy that migratory fish
return, if possible. to the place where they
were Matched, to deposit their ova Rivers
can readily be restocked by taking the eggs
of the fish desired, Matching them out and
putting the young fry on the old spawning
grounds at the head waters of our streams
The dam across the Kenncbcc at this place
has prevented salmon and other migratory
fish from reaching their spawning grounds up
river, and there are none below, so, of
course, they have become nearly extinct. To
be sure, migratory fish come up into Merry
| Meeting Bay and turn into the Androscoggin.
4 few fish find their way up to this place, where
they find an unsurmOuntablc barrier Shall
single corporation that has received large
donations from this city, dam up our river so
fish cannot pass and thus destroy great in
dustry! Shall they deprive us of at least
500, 900 worth of food? 1t is downright rob-
bcTN Vi ptbpit WIN liindDlt inc hcflUtDcc
valley.
In passing, wish to say word about our
Fish and Game Laws. which are intended to
protect fish and game during their breeding
season, and if properly observed, will make
them more abundant. 1t is for the interest
of every citizen of the State to obey these
laws. Especially hotel keepers, railroad
managers and stage owners; for it will in
I crease travel and of course, increase their
profits. Sportsmen and people in search of
recreation 90 where they can find fish and
game. What would the Moosehcad and
Rangely Lake travel be worth. were it not for
the trout and game found In those regions?
Protective laws. especially benefit the spot
Hunters" who kill fish and game for profit;
because they can catch more, with less labor,
and mt time when it will bring II better
market price; and thereby will reap double
profit. 1t is for the interest of every citizen
to obey these laws; for it will make food
cheaper and more plenty and add to the wealth
and resources of our State.
Fish are unfit to eat during their spawn
ing season. They become poor; their flesh