The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-02-18
Palatka Daily News
Our Fish.


And now again we learn that the Gulf of Mex
leo is being" stocked with strange fish! Is il
not wonderful how the man who tacks half the
alphabet to his name may enforce the adoption
of a theory which contradicts all our expert
ence? 1t is with our fish as il has been with
our forests-there is long period of ruthless de-
struction and corresponding period of costly
restoration which never succeeds in doing more
than filing the pockets of some theorist at the
expense OF the people. 1t is time for US to think
a little and use the God given reason now neces-
sary for the preservation of our best interests.
Do the fish culturists give us better fish than
those put in our rivers and along our coasts by
Nature? Not so-our bass and mullet and
sheephead, ETC., are unsurpassed anywhere,
while the carp is no better food than the gar fish,
and many other various kinds whose spawn is
being "planted are almost equally tasteless and
nnutrtious. Shall we sit still while the carp
drives the mulet from its spawning grounds and
takes possession of our river? five do. then we
deserve the disgust and regret which will surely
be our portion in after years.
1t is urged that the ST. Johns is rapidly becom-
ing depleted of its fish-that the Dream are no
longer found on their old beds-that the mulet
are becoming scarcer in numbers and beautifully
less in size-that the black bass and shad and
channel bass will soon be curiOsities in our Wa
tiers. All this we grant, but we dispute in toto
the c0rollary that because these things are so
we must therefore stock the 81. Johns with
carp. Give to our native fish the chance ca
gerly accorded to the strangers enforce the
laws already enacted for their protection and
once again our people can draw food abundant,
excellent and cheap from our teeming waters
When we count the nets nightly spread between
Palaka and the sea is il not wonderful that shad
ever reaches its spawning grounds? When We
consider the number of its enemies are not
surprised to see a mullct in the rivery Consider
how heIplessly the Dream crowd each other on
the few beds fit for the preservation of their
eggs and the means taken for their extermina-
tion and the escape of single one is near akin
to a miracle.
The enactment of u law is useless without its
enforcement, and public servants are proverbi-
ally careless till the people complain. Let the
citizens of the counties along the 81. Johns COM
Del their respective sheriifs to examine the nets
of the fishermen; let them memorabilia the Gov
crnor if necessary, or hold Indignation meetings
and appoint committees charged to attend
closely to this matter in which We are all
80 nearly interested. 1t is idle to consider the
fish supply inexhaustible. Ten years from to-
day at the present rate of decrease there will
really be the need of stocking" our rivers.
Natures gifts are never inexhaustibe save when
wisely used.
Let the Fish Commission keep its carp and
herring for those who can get no better food
let rs take care of our native fishes before 1t is
too late. Let those interested write to us, and
we will do our best to put the matter in such
shape that new departure shall become nects-
sary.