Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-03-18
BHAD HATCHING.
How the u. n. Fishery Commission
Propose 10 Re. stOc h the Delaware
The ''Fish Hawk," anu the
Mode OF Propagation,

L
The ''Flsh Hawk" anu the
Mode OF Propagation,
"a popularity Of the shade is that
1t always comes into fresh water to
spawn" remarked an old fisherman to
the REPUBLICAN day or two ago. "But
another thing more peculiar" he oon-
tinued, sis that when the young fish
are hatched out they return to the
same place after an absence Of three
years, which time is consumed in their
growth" 1t Is this natural habit of
the fsh, in returning to Its natural
stream that the Government proposes to
take advantage Of, eud by Matching a
large number in the Delaware this
year, hoping that three years from now
having attained their full growth, they
will return in increased numbers. In
order to do this the "Fish- Hawk" the
new boat Of the U. s. Fishery Commits
sion, built by the Pusey g. Jones CON-
'pany Of this city, will be employed.
A description Of the apparatus en-
ployed in Matching the fish and of the
net in which the work is done may not
be uninteresting. The apparatus is in
a room forward ofthe machinery, which
is 80 feet long and 27 wide. The ap-
paratus consists of g series Of conical
tanks, placed vertically and suspended
with compass attachments to insure
vertical position without regard to the
rolling and tossing OF the ship when
in rough water. These tanks are thirty
inches deep, eighteen inches in diamst-
er at The top and three inches at the
bottom. They are supplied with clean
water through pipe, and by means Of
a steam pump kept constantly going,
the overflow being carried overheard BY
q suitable system Of conductors. While
the spawn are in these tanks they are
kept slowly shaking all the time by yap-
paratus moved by steam engine.
When the fishing season in the Della
ware gets fairly under way the "Fish
Hawk" will be anchored near to the
shore where the gillers land their
boats. By preconcerted arrangement
with the fishermen, when one Of their
number catches two FISH that are in fit
condition, he hoists a small signal flag,
If 1t is in the day time, or lantern or
sends up small rocket, If it is at
night. At this signal one Of the "Fish
Hawks" boats puts of, comes quickly
to where the fisherman is, an expert
extracts the spawn or milt, as the case
may be, and returns the fish to the own
or, and with them card or ticket. This
entities the bearer, when lie 1presents
it at the Office in Washington, to a Civ
an sum of money, generally, in the
case Of shad, to about fifty cents. AS
the fishermen get tEeir fish back, this
sum is almost clear gain, and it makes
them very jealous in supplying the
commission boat with all the fish they
Iind that are suitable.
The Matching process begins whom
The spawn are placed in the tanks and
Is kept up till the young fish appear.
It generally takes from three to four
lays according to the temperature of
The water in which the fish are caught;
the shortest time being when the water
Is from 73o to 76o Fahrenheit. The
average time is eighty hours. 1t is
,aid that fish taken in water of 800 are
useless, the increase In temperature Of
rom four to eight degrees being sufi-
,ient to destroy the principal of life in
,ggs. When hstched the young fish
'ubsist upon a portion Of the egg which
.dheres to them and 10 absorbed slowly
within period OF eight days. They
must be sent to their intended destina-
ion within this time as no successful
method Of feeding them has yet been
At the expiration Of the eight days
he diminutivs shadlings are turned
oose in the river and allowed to shift
or themselves.
This mode Of artificial ad-hatching
1as been employed by the Government
or some years past. 1t was largely car
led on for several seasons at the great
Carpenters Point fishery Of George W.
Barnes on the North East River, in &C.
ii County, Maryland, with some sue
ess.