Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-06
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE POTOMAC FISHERIES.
Trap Nets, Gill Nets and seines.

ISSUE OF Zou May, quoted from the letter OF
Mr.. Armstrong TO the District Commissioners,
Is very singular production, to say the least.
As history of certain Scotchmen of antiquity,
scsons OF Mt. Vernon. who were fishermen to
his excellency the immortal George, away back
in the little Ratchet period, prior to our first
glorious fourth of July the article In question
is very Interesting reading, and we are sorry
that those noble Scots. their history. traditions
and descendants, have been so long yelled In
obscurity, and we trust that more of their noble
deeds may yet be recorded for the benefit of
posterity. What a pity that Washington did
not have his valiant fishermen with him to help
provision his almost famished army at Valley
Forge, instead of leaving them on the banks Of
the Potomac to capture millions of fish for the
benefit Of the hordes of Lord CORVALLIS
Mr.. Armstrong says that he was mixed up In
fishing Operations for about forty-eight wears
and when he admits that he doctored his official
statement OF the catch of herring in 1910 to the
tune OF thirty-one million returning eighty-fiye
million when he knew he should have returned
one hundred and sixteen million) and now at
lacks with equal fury the OILERS, trappers and
United States fish commission, we are inclined
to believe that he was and continues to be con-
siderably mixed up" After giving an astound-
Ing array of statistics, all in round num-
bers. showing the wholesale destruc-
tion OF fish in by-gone and barbarous
age, he presents reasonable catch
vi u ItteEt udIe as q contrast, ana observing
the decrease he exclaims with evident excite
ment, What was the cause that produced this?"
answering himself, "GiileTs and trdDpersr' Con-
tenting himself with few common place re-
marks about OILERS, and emitting to say any
thing at ali about trappers he proceeds to paw
his respects to the U. s. fish commission after
this fashion: "The fish commission catches OF
has caught hundreds of bushels of the young
and destroy them without sometimes securing
as much as market basket full of fish," He
(rat.
and fish cOmmission). land between the two
Causes the catch on the Potomac has been nearly
destroyed. He also points to the impoSSibilty
OF fish propagation in salt water
I leave it to an ADLER pen than mine to make
the proper defense of our fish commission and
their meritoriOns work and trust that at the
same time it may be shown by some one that at
least 2 few of the myriads of finny tribes inhab-
itingthe briny deep came into existence without
the trouble OF going to a fresh water country to
be born.
MOON-sTRUCK.
Mr.. Armstrong; closing paragraph, in which
he says that fish are unreasonable and a dan
gerous article of food after the full moon in
May, was happy thought is well to be
warned Of our danger. In this last observation
he becomes a public benefactor deserving of
gratitude; but what if the moon should be so
fnCOnsiderate as to full" on the first day of
May, some cold. backward spring. Just think oft.
Garden sass all showed under and the fish In
the river all poisoned or ''moon-struck" Bah!
We would suggest LUX of Luna" to Mr.. Arm
strong as nom de pi,snle over which to write
fish articles in the future.
FALSE NOTIONS ABOUT FISHING
The articles that have appeared in public
print from time to time against certain kinds of
fishing In the Potomac river are calculated to
instin a false sentiment and mislead the public
mind, producing prejudice where commentator
IA due and the withholding of censure where
1t should be given. The real issues, so ably
lodged on all occasions, are between the de-
structive haul seine and capital on one side and
the poor man and his harmless trap net on the
0ther-the mission OF the latter is to foster; of
the former to destroy.
The seine-hauers and their retainers are very
loud In their deruncation of the trap net. evil
densIy intending TO detract attention from them
selves by calling stop thief while endeavoring to
make their own escape.
Let US place
TIE SENS AND TRAP NET
In juxtaposition for q few moments and ex-
ANIME their construction, operations and re-
spective merits and dement's, and. although
tedious in detail, it is necessary to proper
understanding OF the subject
WHAT A SEINE is LIKE.
First the seine: suppose sheet of heavy Irvine
and-a-haf miles long, bordered on each side by
three inch rope, one heavily loaded, to drag
the bottom of the stream, the other furnished
with blocks of Cork to float on the surface
Then add one-and-a-quarter miles of heavy rope
out line TO either end. and you have about tie
dimensions OF one of our largest haul seines-
one capable Of comprising berth or space of
seven miles OF fishing shore. Collect this on the
stern of a large seine boat recurring abOut
a IN N 70 tho hoaS "A
pay out the net. After fastening one Of the out
lines TO capstan operated by horses, the net is
paved out and the other out line carried to the
other end OF the fishing shore and made fast to
stationary engine 1t is then drawn steadily
for three or four hours bringing to shore fish
spawn. grass. debris, and in fact everything
movable within its circuit. The fish are dipped
into the lighters at the finish, and the fish
spawn; grass, &c. are carried on shore to pre-
vent obstruction to the net in future operations
This is a fair description of one Of the MANY
institutions OF Kindness prepared for the recep-
ton OF fish III their journey from the lower Poto-
mac 10 their spawning grounds at the head of
tide water.
THE TRAP NET
~ now used. is of comparatively recent origin.
and Is made Of sheets Of netting similar to that
OF the seine. but Is attached to stationary poles
driven in the stream 1t consists of three dis
tinct parts, known as hedging, pen, and pound
iHc HiSt u IL straight line OF net fastened to
poles and extending from the surface to the
bottom OF the river. and is from 200 to $50 wards
long. and terminates in the center Of the door
Or the pen, and fish following it on either side
Will be guided into the second part-the pen.
This Is what its name implies-a pen of poles
end netting, usually about twenty feet BY forty.
and at point opposite the door funnel of net
ting extends into the last compartment-the
pound-which is about twenty feet by twenty.
and has netting at the bottom as we'll as sides.
which is held in position by being made fast to
the poles at top and bottom. The funnel termi-
hates near the center Of the pound in a ring
about two feet in diameter. and is held in posi-.
ton by line drawn from it across the pound.
When the funnel Is raised clear Of the water the
pound Is complete box and Is fshed once
day with dip net Immense quantities OF fish
spawn are deposited on and about these nets.
which they protect and hold In suspension until
Matched. These nets. standing as they do, from
two to two and half months,
PROPAGATE MORE FISH THAN THEY CAPTURE.
Fish are carefully handled at trap-nets, none
being sent away crippled, and small fish have
good chance to make their escape or to eIude
the chase Of destructive fish. The trap-net Is
economic and compromising, and is the only
4kt