The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-01-20
THE WORLDS FISH PRODUCTION

THE WORLDS Fish PRODUCTION.
Extent Of the Inaustry -Inproyid.nt
MsthOd.- Reckless Seizure.
rTttf, Flsld and FARM
II Mnlhallis statistics are reliable.
says Arranging journal, there are not
Gar short Of 100000 vessels engaged Ii
Europe aud North Amerlca, 10. fishing.
Between GOO, OOO and 100000 meu are
employed in this industry, and the total
annual product OF fish Is not far short
OF 1000, 900 tons. Few people realize
the meaning Of these figures. A ton'ot
fish ia equal in weight to about twenty.
eight sheep; and hence, II Mulhalts
estimate Is approximately correct, q
years fish sup ly for ten European
countries, inclnded in this estimate, and
the United states and lauada might be
represented by 100000 sheep. OF
this amount tho United Kingdom, Can.
ada, tussla, and the United States
alone aggregate 1,0O0, 900 tons, equiva.
lent to ls,OOO,0 900 sheep. 1t has been
truly said We talk in a metaphor Of the
harvest Of the sea, but We have only
lately been able TO realize what the
metaphor means,
The Fisheries exposition in London In
1885 did a great deal to encourage the
study OF marine biology, and It was
with no small degree Of satisfaction that
wp are able 10 say that in this much
needed work the United States ranks
second to no other country. On the
other hand, Great Britain, whose fish.
cries are Of vital Importance to her for
food, has done little, and cannot yet
boast laboratory on tho seaShore. In
deed, Professor Lancaster, an eminent
authority on marine biology, declares
the British industries still barbaric.
Tho produce Of the sea IL reCklOssly
seized, regardless Of tho consequences
Of the method, the time, or tho extent Of
tho depredatons, According to the
English authority, the old pr0yerb that
there are as good fish in tho sea as ever
came out Of II no longer hollis good,
The harvest OF the sea in the future,
like tho harvest on land, needs cultiyat.
ing. IT was shown not long ago that in
eight months twenty.eight boats en-.
gagged in tue hRddock fishery at Rye.
mouth, England, used $40 ions Of mus.
sels-about 47,0O0,DUj mussels-in the
capture Of the haddock. Yet Professor
Lancaster says that no pains arc taken
to cultivate or preserve the mussel, and
knowledge OF It's reproduction and
growth Is still incomplete, as 1t is OF
other bait. soles are every year becom.
ing scarcOr, and oysters are becoming
more difficult to odtain. At present,
says the Same authority, absolutely
nothing Is known OF thespawnlng Of tho
sole; the male fish is not even recog.
nized.
Tho reasons for oysters being scarce
are not known, nor how TO make them
abundant There arc many economists
in England who maintain that the hap
hazard andimproyident methods Of fish.
ing arc Q ,hausting tho FISH supply Of
that country as surely as the mining is
eShausting the supply Of coal. The sup
ply Of many kinds Of fish is rapidly
diminishing, and the only way to check
the waste Is by the systematic study Of
the conditions which regulate the sup.
ply. II is undoubtedly true that ''the
world could not 10 fed il mon sought
their food on land with as little fore.
thought and system as fishermen cast
their uets into the sea. To what extent
these facts, which are causing considera-
bic dis uSsion in England, apply to the
United states, we ara not prepared to
Nv.
Carllg Tor the I'I.h + hsrmsu.
New ORLEANS Time.Dimocrat.l
The English government has decided
10 eSpcnd a large amount Of money in
making Galway bay a barber Of refuge
for the fishermen on tho west coast Of
Ireland. Tho improvements will be on
al extensive scale ind will result in
Galway Icing made not only useful for
the fishermen, but frst.rate hRrbor
for ocean steamers. Some large obstruc-
tions arc 10 Le blown away and a light
house built. The conyicts are, however,
10 provide the labor, large barracks for
whom are now In course OF erection.
The British admiralty have also con
sentOd to provide a roomy and obsolete
vessel of war to DO used as q training
ship in Baltimore harbOr, County Cork.
Toys viii DO educated In seamanslip,
making nets, building boats, etc, In
preparation for their following the oc.
cupation OF fishermen.
Baltimore Is a tiourishing village,
possessing fifty fishing smacks valued
at $!S,00O each. A few years ago It's
inhabitants had only few frail rowing
boats, but the parish priest interested
Baroness Coutts in their condition and
she advanced them money at 8 per
cent, interest on the personal security
OF the priest to enable them TO provide
themselves with substantial boats,
etc Every penny Of tho money, with |
interest, has been repaid, and tho
people arc among the most com.
PORTABLE in ireland at the present time.