New-York tribune., 1883-06-08
FISH CULTURISTS IN SESSION.


CLOSE OF THE COOPER UNION MEETING.
PAPERS ON FIsH-HATCHING TRANSPORTATION AND
FIsHwAYs-PoLLUTIoN OF NEw-YoRK WATERS
The meeting of the American Fish Cultural Asso-
citation at the Cooper Institute was closed yester-
day. There was larger attendance than on the
previous day. The meeting was opened by paper
entitled The History of the Experiments Lead
ing to the Development of the Automatic Fish
Hatching JAR" by Colonel NJ. Mcdonald. of the
United States Fish Commission. He traced the
work of practical piscculture from its inception to
the present time. and showed the various forms
through which the Matching of eggs has passed.
He demonstrated on the blac kboard the different ex
periments that were made by himself and by Others
order to prevent the loss of and to provide
for the separation of the dead from the living eggs
The next paper, on the " Transportation OF Crus-
taceans" was read by Frederick Mather of the
Ncw-York State Fish Commission. brief extract
is as follows:
Last winter I received at the Cold Spring Hatchery
many thousands of whetsh and trout eggs from Frank
~ Clark of Worthwhile. Michigan The eggs came on the
usual flannel trays, with mosquito netting anu moss,
and noticed several of the shrmps among the eggs AT
viii live long out of water If packed in damp med-
there seems TO be no reason why they cannot DO
sent in quantity in this manner.
Tie most interesting paper was that of Colonel
Mcdonald on FIshways" 1t was In part as fol-
lows:
tits well attested fact that the river fisheries of the
importance Several causes. probably, nave concurred
in producing this decrease First the capture OF tne
greater portion of the each year not have left
sufficient to maintain production under natural cond
ons. Second, the ereeton OF dams or other oOsrnc-
tons has, i'll entirely cut OF the
run Of fish from their spawning grounds. The remedy
for tais coalition OF things Is 10 ne onnd hIs ID suoh
modes Of shing second, in eompensatng for me
nisnIin.S. is % 1'ird IN tYtendine The area of
bre, ding and feeding by overcoming natural
opstructions by means Of ishways. Flshways
are various devices to enable fish surnoun obstri
tons which would otherwise be impossible to them
fshway TO be effective must fudl conditions.
First II must accessible; that is the foot oa hsnway
must be located that the fish viii readily nhd IT,
srcond II must discharge a sufficient volume OF
attract the fish Third the water must be discharged
with 5Gch velocity that sn readily enter ana SWIM
up IT. In wha is the step fsnway pool and
fall hshway the water brought dowu from its eleva
ton by series saort falls ana pools the pools being
OF such size Ia comparison VII Tue volume ol water
entering TO bring practically 10 rect after each
crop. and in bis way TO deliver The whole volume at the
bottom with 10 greater accsleraOn thdn IL mas III uiOp
pIIg from one pool 10 the next
Colonel Mcdonald, by illustrations on the black
board, describe ed a system of building shway5 ana
xpllined the principles applied IN their con-
siructiOn.
Mr. Benkard, of the South sile Club. introduced
the following resolutions. which were adopted aiter
some discussion:
Whereas IL Il the sense Of this association that the
continual ana increasing pollution OF the waters o New
York Bay fIoD the refuse OF cer.n factories threatens
cYcniuaiy 10 Xii or drive away ~ ish, sheiihsA anu
biyalves Latur,i TO said watsrs; therefore -.
BE RcsOiced Tha tuis association try TO call the I'M
mediate attention OF tue FIsH Commissioners Oi tAs
Uned states and Of the states al Ne"-lgrk ana he"
jersey d G.so tne members OF ticr Legislatures, To tie
impending c&l@mity
In speaking to this resolution, L. g. Blackiord
SAID:
Complaints have frequently been made 70 me that the
shad csugt ia the vicinity OF the city were tainted WITH
kerosene also, that the slr1Ins caught OK BAY Isidgc
have gradu1y disappeared and OF ie year. lave cel
OF very strong flavor. New York Bay used to produce
many ODsters. bnt tAey are nov entirely extinct anu
before they became extiac, tAey were growing rapidly
poorer and poorer; they were thin and watery and 81
bad flavor IL 10 also the iaet that the hsa and clans
caught IN the vicinity OF Hell Gate aud the entrance 70
the sound are badly tainted. For tuese things tho
STANDARD Oil Works are responsible: Al Rockaway the
oysters ana clans are Dshg. gradually e1ermll ateo
Meetings have been hid there calling the attention or
the fish commissioners TO the growing evil bat NO
remedy has yct DccL found. The Comm ssOuerb have
10 power to prev TIE pollution Of the wHter.
The ASSOCIATION elected the following officer, :
Pfesdeut. j. Bernhard, OF the SOutbslde Cub; vice.
president, o. :. Page; recording secretary, ffeder-
Ick Aatner; corresponding secretary, Barnet Ihll-
niittee Francis EDdicoti, of staten Island Colonel
III. A.eDOnsd, q. Browne GOode, Benjamin West
James Amin, G.. B. Eyarts, Dr. Hudson Of Hart
tOId.
Professor H. j. Rice was expected TO read paper
Oh The "a tiiica Cultivation OF the Oyster" but
was detained and could not attend. II was ordered
that his paper DC printed ana dlsHbuied among
members OF the association.
DINNER AT TIIE HonL BRIGHTON.
The members OF the American fIsh Cultural Asso-
cialiCn and "a few invited guests sat Down to dinner
at tie Hotel Brighton last evening. John Foord
presided Among others present the follow
ing: David A. Wells, Of Conn; Captain Il. l.. Tan
per. of the United States Fish Commission steamer
Aibaross, GorGon l.. Ford j. Angel .AiHo. Robbins,
A. Van Cieaf L. II. Van Braut, Professor II. j.
Rlce, T.. G.. Biackiord, FredeucS Matne> and q, :.
Page. Speeches were made by John foord, DAVID
A. Wells, Captain Tanner, l.. o. BlackiOrd and
others. Tie company retunei to the eity by late
ilaiu.