Saint Mary's beacon., 1886-03-25
Correspondence Of the Beacon
The Fi=h sn Our waters.
By @. G. JoYNEs.

Messrs. Editors Il notice in this issue OF
the BEACON March lsth) good, sensible
and exceedingly timely letter from Miles
town on the subject Of protecting our fish.
That our waters are annually visited by
our outside friends, who make their living
by pounding and trapping large quantities
of fish. i admitted by all; and that the
DiSaipg and trapping as has
TOR the past few years in
1l0lS(l42 waters partly accounts for the
present scarceness OF our fish is believed by
many of our best citizens 20 be absolutely
true. Then as "Wicomico" indicates in his
letter some steps ought TO be taken at once
10 legislate against this growing evil. The
Governor of the State doubtless recon-
mends law for the preservation and pro-
lection of fish for the general good of the
State. But the people of Southern Mary
land are reespecially interested in this, because
II touches one Of the most important
branches of industry in our particular part
of the State. Ii is q source of wealth, not
TO our citizens as it should be, because very
few of them comparatively are engaged in
fishing for a livelihood, but 10 men who
come and 90 with the season, and who as
a general thing do not invest permanently
with us, but take all the fish they can con-
vert into ready cash and seem to think all
is right. Well, so il is if it be allowed. II
is not wished to drive of enterprizing and
honest men trying 10 make a living in le-
gitimate way, no matter where they come
from-not their fault our laws are deficient
in protecting our territorial wealth-it is
ours. Would it not be we'll that all non
residents who use traps and pounds in our
waters he required TO pay a county license,
say S25 on each trap or pound, and all res
idents pay nominal license on all traps
and pounds, and all revenues derived from
such sources be devoted to public educa-
ton? 1t is true, as "Wicomico" says, that
the waters of lower Maryland "are infes-
ted" with these traps and pounds and that
fish in the past few years have become
scarcer annually, and not q few people think
and say that wholesale trapping and pound
ing is the cause.
In looking over the report of the Com
missioner of Fisheries of the State Of Mary
land as far back as 1880, l see on page XIV
in answer TO questions and where Mr..
J. II. s. Hubbard speaks as follows:
6. "Shad are diminishing at the rate of
one-tenth per year. We attribute the de-
crease TO the very effectual blockade of the
lower part of the Choptank river by weir
or stake nets, which destroy many fish and
turn many back that would come up but
for these distractions.
:. I'VE catch shad, herring, rock, perch,
pike and catfish, of which three-tenths are
shad, one-tenth herring and six -tenths rock
Sc. The white catfish is valuable fish
and ought to Oe propagated, as like all 9TH
er fish in our waters il is rapidly diminish
ing
What has been proven upon experience
in the Choptank and innumerable other
places Ia be fatal 10 the natural propaga-
ton of the fish in other parts of the Bay and
lis tributaries must apply with equal force
TO us in Lower Maryland. Mr.. W. a. Il.
Clarke, a man whose experience in fishing
in these waters is not surpassed, says that
no one ought TO be allowed TO fish trap
or pound after May ist, adding, that af-
ter that time our migratory fish begin 10
spawn and ought not 10 be trapped; such
as ara trapped are sold at prices too cheap
tO ha remunerstiYe