National Republican., 1884-05-16
FISH FOR THE FUTURE.
Last Days Session OF the Aperlc"n Fish
Cultural Association.

Cultural Association.
The third and last days session Of the
American Fish Cultural association was hold
yesterday morning. Two papers were road,
"Notes on tho Lobster Fishing" by Frederick
Mather, of New York, and "Tho Propagation
of the Striped Bass" by S. G.Worth, Of North
Carolina.
Mr.. Mather said tho Holsters were moro
abundant in Maine than in all the other
portions Of the country; that elsewhere tho
supply had decreased to such an extont as to
prove an irremmediable injury. Outside OF
Maine, the lobster supply comes from tho
Delaware breakwater and extending from
there to tho northwest.
Resolutions of thanks TO tho local COM
mitteo and to Prof Baird were adopted.
An invitation was received from tho
secretary of the Worlds Cotton Exposition
to attend IL.
The selection of the place and date of the
next meeting was left to the executive COM
mittoe.
After remarks by DIR. Kingsbury, the asso.
citation adjourned. Tho members proceeded
in q body to the whito house, where they
were received by President Arthur.
Upon leaving the white house tho members
of the association returned to the National
museum, where meeting of the state FISH
commissioners was held. The question Of
increasing the supply of shad was dis
cussed. Col. Mcdonald said that the
supply within the past eight years
had been increased to 100000 annually over
that of the preceding eight years. At tho
adjournment of the meeting tho association
proceeded to the Seventh street wharf and
embarked upon the United States fish commits
sion steamer Fish Hawk. in command Of
Lieut.. w, NJ. Wood. The day was all that
tho association, who greatly enjoyed
the trip. The Fish Hawk 10 ad-
mirably adapted for the purposes of
fish Matching. She has double propelers,
broad beam, and glides over the water with
steadiness that makes motion almost inn
perceptible. An awning was rigged aft and
chairs placed there for the members of the
association, and other efforts were made to
make their trip satisfactory and pleasant.
The committee on the excursion were Lieut..
w. c. Babcock, Lieut.. w. M. Wood, DIR, Smith
Townshend, Col. Marshall Mcdonald, and
Capt II. @. Chester.
The party were landed at Fort Washington,
where there is q fishing station. The process
OF seine hauling was witnessed with much
interest. The catch, however, of o variety of
fish was small ono. Several shad were in
the lot, and tho experiment of impregnation
with male and female was successfully tested.
The boat was to have visited several other
points, but tho hour of the day e p. m) was
unpropitious for seine hauling, the best time
being at p. m. Some large seines were
shown at Greenaway point, 1000 and 1,200
fathoms in size.
The fsh-hatching paraphornalia upon tho
Fish Hawk were inspected with much inter-
est, as also the ice box, 1,4OO pounds of nrti-
fcial ice being manufactured on board tho
boat daily.
The closing session of the association was
held en- board tho steamer. About twenty
names of European fish culturists were placed
upon the list of corresponding members
An1nn0 uarn fnpl Aa1 Nhn ~
Prof. Huxley and Baron de Solsky director
of the agricultural museum of St. Petersburg.
The name of the association was, upon mo-
tion, changed from the American Fish Gull
tural association to the American Fisheries
society. The following preamble and reso-
lutions were submitted and adopted:
Whereas the oyster industry ofthe United States
exceeds all other fisheries In the number of its
employees, capital invested and value Of its prod.
ucts, and II having been shown that this inipor-
tant industry is in danger Of extinction, and 1t
being the opinion Of this society and of oil com.
petent persons that the preservation of the indus
try ana the increase OF the supply Of oysters Is de-
pendent upon artificial extension of the present
oyster area, which extension can only be achieved
,hrough private ownership and cultivation Of oys-
Resotped, That this society most earnestly recon-
mends the adoption of the principle of individual
ownership of oyster ground that the oyster cul.
sults of his abors, and it is likewise the opinion
OF the society that an investigation of all the con.
dions affecting the life Of the oyster is eminently
desirable, and should be Immediately undertaken;
and furthermore be IL
Resotyed, That a copy Of this preamble and
resolution be forwarded to- tho governors and
legislative assemblies of the oyster producing
states and thai copies be also transmitted to tho
president of the senate and speaker of the house
Of representatives of the United States.
The association then adjourned sine die.
Messrs. Hudson, Pike and Woodruff of
Conn, Root of r. l., Judge French of Mass
Evarts of Vt, Roosevelt, Blackford and
Mathor of N. Y, DIR. Cary of Ca,
Col. Mcdonald of Va, Kellogg and
Parker of Mich, Daniels and Dority
of Ohio, Humphries of Nd, and May
of Nebraska, were tho state fish commission
ers represented in the association. Mai. T. b.
Ferguson, assistant fish commissioner, was
present at the meetings of the commissioners
yesterday.
A list of foreign corresponding members of
the association were elected at tho meeting
held on board the Fish Hawk.
Hon. Thomas Donaldson, Philadelphia; DR..
-. 9. Parker, Grand Rapids, Mich. A. L.
Kelly, Detroit, and Col. Humphries, Mary
land were elected new members
The Fish Hawk returned to the city shortly