Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-26
THE POTOMAC FTsHERIES.

sHAD ASD HERRING ALMOST EXITING
liENI IRGIsI ATOM W NrEn

n HAtbii Autit ldNj evening Dl a STAN
reported resulted In his drawing from Captain
WIN. E. Stewart several Interesting facts re-
specting the fishing business. Capt. stewart Is
aNeteran fisherman ana game hunter, having
spent lifetime on and about the Potomac
lner. Most Of the products from the fishing
.s suoles winch come 10 this District are con-
aet heo es 10 Blm and TO Mr.. r. A. Golden. They
az, a az agents for the owners OF the landings
sn6 eh,spose or the fish TO our market dealers
admtt ne :; Ihey also, when the supply VIII
ouI., ,, VI ~, pack Shad In ice and shin them 10
other markets-a large numher ordi,a,,.tl,, :, S,,ny
sent TO New YORK, Boston and fba ,yaStars
dnSt2 "e,m bro,n,r Sa prices are realized This in-
ceased, owing 10 the scarcity OF sh,S isvot ant
doubts are entertained that enough sns1 anS
herring VIII be caught this season for tha s,,n
ply OF our own local markets
FIsHERNEN on THE VIRGINIA SIDE
OF the many fishing shores which for the last
fifty or more years have been busy with gangs
OF fishermen, the following only have been
rented the present season, and ar greatly re-
duced rates: jackson City, south OF the Long
bridge, is fished by Mr.. Henry Knight; Fairy
Landing by VIM. Knight; Stony Point. VIM.
Knight; Free Stone Point. Jacob ID. Faunce;
this landing will be fished with pound nets,
seines having been discardedl Clifton, Cap.
Waller; Gums, Jerre Raub; Windmill Poinf,
Capt. Mitchell, and Caywood's landing by James
Caywood. The above are on the Virginia side
OF the river, and embrace all the shores which
are rented.
ON THE MARYLAND SIDE
are the following: Budd's Ferry, 1shed by Capt.
Dawney; Stump Neck by Dawney & Co: Chip
mans Point, Mrs. Chipman; Pamunky Point, "a
continuation or last years lease) Gut Landing.
VIM. Elliot: Bfyan's Point, Capt Conrad Faunce;
MoXley S, James Skidmore. The above are all
the landings known 10 be under pay 10 the
owners, and the united rent OF them Is not equal
10 what In years past has been paid for single
shore.
THE SHORES NOT RENTED THIS YEAR
are as follows: White House, sycamore. High
l,ont, Marsh Hall. Cockpit Point. PosSum Nose.
IIooes Shore, Arkendaie, Tumps, Split Rock
Maryland Point, Morris Gut, Smiths Point,
Goose Bay. Cianey Island, Indian Head Green
way, Hatton's Point, Tent Landing, sandy
Bar, Stick Landing and many other smaller
landings, which in olden times were valuable
shores and rented at liberal prices. All these
lay idle this year, and it is doubtful whether
the franchise OF any OF them would be accepted
as gift by responsible fishermen, they having
TO man and equip them, and take the chances
OF return OF outlay.
POoR PROSPECT AHEAD
g., Inose who nave their entire means invested
IN boats. nets and paraphernalia and men
mapE no1pelleo 70 go down, have done SO under
ABOUT the productiveness OF particular landincs
Wnlcn In former years Were so Desirable among
choice Ia them. Stoney Point and White Honse
landings have run out entirely. The Beiyoir
or White House landing formerly belonged TO
one OF the chief flSher1es
IaMENsE YIELD OF THE FISHERY IN rHs GOOD
OLD TIMES
In 1o5, four hundred and fifty thousand shad
were taken from this shore, more than the
average product In later years OF all the land
ings OF the river from the Chesapeake bay TO
the Little Falls. At that time In the disfSuee
OF nundred miles below this city four hundred
thousand barrels OF behring's were caught.
cured, and sent to all parts OF the country
farmers generally laying In q supply for a wear
Long aiter this shore passed into the possession
Kept up, and I'm 1sso 1t rented for 81, 200: Syca-
more Ior SLIGO, and Stony Point for q, 7O0
These shores now all belong to the Otter6ack
Captain John Gibson paid an annual rent Of
$z,6OS f0r Stony Point. It now rents for less
than nail that sum, and White House landing
nal sum. In 1868 twenty thousand shsd were
taken out in one day at Stony Point more than
was caught there during the entire season last
TO all the shores on the river, and the oniy ne-
suit In the near future win probably be
THE ENTIRE EXTINCTION OF BOTH sHAD AND HER
RING
law be interposed for their protectfon by Wiz.
ginia and Maryland, the two states most vitality
interested. In the early days Of these 1sheF1cs
snese states passed laws for the protection OF
nsn. AS early as 1s6S an act was passed by the
legislature OF Maryland, which in f7Ss became q
permanent law, not to destroy young fish by
Melrs or dams in the tributaries OF the Potomac.
Of that time. Another act was passed in 1895 to
prevent persons from beating the Patuxent
river with cords or poles from the commence
for the offense by white person was q hun
dTed dollars; II q slave, he received ten lashes
on his back In default Of the payment 10Y hts
naS'ef a,so st Sc zen 6 6osas Ine Virginia laws were
made for different localities,
NOT BELIEVER IN ARTIFICIAL sHAD HArcBNe.
O1 tne subject OF keeping up the stock
shad for our river by Matching artincially from
.ne spawn as conducted by the U. S. Fish Com
the fact that In the spring OF 1873 two miiiion ~
young Shad were hatched and let into the rSver
az aa JACKSON City landing at the south end Of the
ume they would return to this river fun RroWn
nsh; THAT the season OF 1876 was notably ~
o one, ana @ Ine e fisheries have been growing worse
ana increased number OF young shad put "a tie
same place the two following yean-lS7l md
is;S Is;S,Sy by the ,sn commission, In order to o.
pose, tne government employed Mr. Kni0i,t fsr
zen Gays a1ter the nshing season closed nayinc
cancSs num- go per &c day az and giving him an the dsk
men. All the shad caught were strinsHe6e 49, ~ ~
their spawn which was hatched ana the vnunS
sacts sna1 I Transported to various points. He SAYS
fessors, who, however, learned in other tbthoS
don't know how to stock the Potomac river V{hfS
Snad. The theory too that gas tar has the efiecf
cl Hng young nsh, he takes no stock in, but
rHE MOST PRACTICAL AND SURE REMEDY
Is for the two states or the general government
10 enact laws prohibiting all fishino for shad
ana herring for series OF yearA and. to carrv
1t into effect to employ haif dozen revenue
cuueIS 10 patrol the river and prevent any y1o-
latlon OF the laws. After this prohibit by law the
catcnlng OF these fish from SATURDAY evening 10
MONDAY mornings dnrtng every week Of the
nsnlng season, which should be limited IN the
most positive terms and under heavy penalty
Irom Marcn 18th TO June 30th.
ALL OUR RIVER FISH BECOMING SCARCE IN coN
SEQUENCE or OVER FISHING.
The old hue and cry about gin nets being 80
much more destructive TO fish than seineS he
says is all nonsense. All the flshing devices are
destructive SO much so that not only the shad
and herring, but other species are becoming
scarce. Rock. sturgeon, eel, gar, perch, pike,
carp and mullet are all growing scarce in con-
sequence OF over ffshing. They are all valuable
in season. The same rules that apply TO ducks
In our river apply TO the fish.
DUCKS DYING OCT.
He has spent twenty years, almost continu-
ouSly, duck hunting on this river, and frequent
ly, years ago, stood on 11th street wharf ana
shot ducks by the scores by moonlight. Many
thousands OF them In q single nock would alight
all over the river, where now are mats and
marshes. Now it Is seldom that duck can be
seen on the river In this vicinity; they are very
scarce even further down, having been absolute
ly murdered and driven out by gunneB Il. sea-
son and out OF season. During the four years