Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-24
AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEASON.
The Meager Yield OF the Potomac
Fisheries This Yeof-HOW the Fish.
ermen were Deludea. by the EARLY
Arrival Of q Few Herrin9.

Fisheries This Year-H0W the Fish.
ermen were Deludea. by the EARLY
Arrival Of q Few Herring.
Another fishing season has passed. Most of the
seines have been cut out, and the laboring men
| who have been employed are scattered, looking
for other employment. The season has been q
decided failure-worse than any season since
1878, when the catch was little below the
present season. Most Of the fishermen pre-
dieted an early season. and set out early to get
upon their respective shores with their gangs Of
men and appliances to take advantage of the
early warm days for hauling their seines.
Some Of these lessees Of fishing shores started
down stream to the lower shores in February,
and by the middle of March all were of,
together with hundreds Of gill METERS and trap
METERS. to occupy the spaces in the river
between the seines. Monkeys Point, the land
| Ing so long occupied by the late James Skid
more. about fifteen miles down on the Mary
land shore, was among the earliest in the field.
with Captain Edward Faunce to superintend
the gang of thirty men. His 800 fathoms of
seine has been actively engaged eyery ebb and
HOW OF the tide. but with Indifferent success.
FEW DELUsIvE HERRING.
As a general thing herring make their first
appearance before the shad The first herring
taken this season was on the 18th of Feb
ruary, when % were caught at Moxley's
Point. This indicated an early season. and
most of the gangs of seine haulers were
misled. The lessees had to maintain
gangs OF men during about three weeks or
more OF hard winter weather which kept the
hsh back, and thousands upon thousands. both
OF shad and herring did not enter the Potomac
river at all. During the succeeding days of Feb
ruary after the arrival of the % herring only
1,O33 herring were brought up to this markell.
1rSt oh
year was on the 5th of March, when elk were
sent up to market About this time the cold
weather came again and the fish were driven
oack into the bay by the northwest winds. &C
cOmpanied by snow and hail. No more shad
were seen until the 10th of March, and but few
herring.
THE CATCH DURING MARCH AND APRIL
The third of March 3672 herring were brought
to this market, but, as stated, the cold turned
them away, and no more were caught till the
10th of March, when $50 were landed at the city
wharves. Afterwards came a gradual increase
up to the oath of March, when 20 262 were re.
ceiyed. the largest number for any one day in
that month.
The total footings of herring in March from
all the shores. on both sides OF the river was
1S5, $40. and of shad 90, ISL. April is the best
month for the Weld of fish In the Potomac, and
the run Is generally more uniform from day to
day. AS matter Of course this city is only
one OF the many markets for Potomac shad and
herring. but generally very large numbers of
fresh shad are brought to our wharyes to pack
In Ice, when they are whisked off by rail to all
parts OF the country. The records show that on
the 7th OF April 126, 467 herring were brought
here, and IL. 652 shad. On the 9th April 1O8 664
herring and ), 695 shad; on the 18TH same month";
100, us herring and $500 shad; the 18th, same
month, 1888 herring and IL 1855 shad 18TH
same month, 1887 herring and 5,s47 shad
10Th, same month, III ,032 herring and 645i
shad; 18th. 2O6. 7S3 herring and 1891 shad 18TH
22l 800 herring and All shad 10Th, 1877 456
herring and $40 shad; 2lst, same month, 200 96l
herring and S.544 shad; 22d 249, O4O herring and
l2,6ol shad; 23d. same month"; 164 ,O97 herring
and 5. llS shad; Oath, 1886 herring and {, 9S9
shad; 10Th. lO3. 546 herring and 3,915 shad; 2Sth
ISL 647 herring and 7562 shad; 29th. 223 .3OS her
ring and 6.979 shad and on the S0th April 235 500
herring and 1924 shad. This manner of
COUNTING THESE FISH
has been kept up by Mr.. Gwynn Harris, in
spector of marine products, and by Mr. R.
A Golden and other extensive dealers in
fish at our river front. Added to those above
stated, the number caught up to the 18th May
inclusive make 5,464 ,997 herring and 222 Os2
shad all told
AS before stated the seines are nearly all cut
out. but the river is bristling with trap and gill
nets, from the highest tide water to the Chesa-
peake bay The necessity for concerted action
by Maryland and Virginia in relation to the pro-
lection OF fish in the Potomac never was more
apparent than at the present time.
THE DECLINE IN THE POTOMAC FISHERIES
correspondent writes to THE STAR as follows
IL notice the correspondent of the Baltimore Sun
May 10th, gives us fair catch of shad and her
ring this season. especially the Long bridge
shore which has made Large hauls'' this week
think the correspondent has been wrongly in
formed in regard to the shad and herring fish,
ing on the Potomac. This has been the poorest
season known to the fishermen for many years.
and with very slight exception everyone en-
gagged In fishing has sustained positive loss
For instance. Monkeys Point operated by the
late James SkidmOre's heirs, did nothing. Here
t0fOre this shore has been reckoned as first
class amongst the successful ones; next In de-
tail is Bryan's Point, operated by Mr.. Conrad
Faunce. an old and reliable fsherman; then
comes Green-way, Pamunkey and Chapman's
Point, heretofore considered good shores but
this season failures. The above shores are on
the Maryland side; on the Virginia side we have
Ferry Landing, White House, Stoney Point and
Freest0ne Point: these shores generally yield
small but sure profit, but this season they m ade
signal failures, losing in the aggregate about
$1,000.
The only exception to this general rule of loss
Is the Clifton operated by Mr. Waller; the
Gums. fshed by Mr.. Jerry Raub. and Wind Mill
Point, operated by Messrs. Ewing 4 Co.. the last
three named being the three lower shores en- the
virginia side Their success Is attributable to
the popularity OF location, being shallow and
fatty formed, together with combination of
circumstances such as the great rains in Febru-
airy and March, and northwest winds that pre-
vailed during the month of April. These shores
were the great Center of attraction for the branch
herring. In regard to the artificial plants. were
1t not for the services of the U. S. fish commits
sion necessity would compel a cessation of fish.
ing the large shores. and the Potomac. so far as
thing Of the past. In view OF the fact Of there
being no legislative protection for shad and her
ring they fished in season ana But Of season
hence the almost extinction ofote OF our best
food fishes. - LII . tiffl
The following will show the decline IN the
numbers Of shad: During the present season
there has been caught and brought to the fish
wharf in this city 226. 72l shad, whilst In 1868
Mr.. John Gibson sent alone from Stoney Point
and High Point 219. 205 nearly as many shad as
all the fishermen on the Potomac sent to the,
wharf the present season.
At that time all the following shores were
fshed: On the Maryland side-Tent Landing.
Monkey Point, Bryans Point Greenway. Gut
Landing: Pamunkey Point. Chapman's Point,
Stump Neck, Budd's Ferry and Goose Bay On
the Virginia side--Ferry Landing. White House.
Stoney Point, High Point Marshall Hall, Free
stone Point, Cockpit Point, Opossum Nose,
Mr. Hoes. The Clifton, Arkendale. The Gums,
Jumps, Wind Mill Point. and Caywood's be-
sides host OF smaller shores not mentioned.
Some OF the large fisheries were leased and
rented for large sums annually as the following
will show: The shores on the Maryland side rang
Ing nprice per annum from $500 to 81 OOO, whilst
hos - s.,f- Ill