New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-20
MENHADEN FISHERS STATE THEIR CASE
THEY ASSERT THAT FOOD FISH ARE NOT INJURED
BY THEIR INDUSTRY

THEY ASSERT THAT FOOD FISH ARE NOT INJURED
BY THEIR INDUSTRY
score Of bronzed and sturdy CAPTAINS and owners
of the menhaden fishing feet appeared before com
mttee from the National Rod and Reel Association at
Fulton Market yesterday TO def nd their particular In
dusry from destruction bill prepared by he Rod
and Reel Association has been introduced In the House
Of Representatives by Mr. McAdoo, of NewJersey,
which makes unlawful to frs with purse nets or SINH
lar appliances within three miles OF the Atlantic coast
This pill was aimed at the menhaden men who arc
looked upon all along the the greatest de-
stroyers of food fishes in existence The menhad
en- men put in strong defence before tho committee
yesterday. The latter consisted OF Francis Endirott,
charma James S. Vallotten Henry r. wills, Corne-
Illus Van Brunt and Louis D. Wright Among others
present were Frederick Maths-, Of The tOd Spring
Fish Hatchery and Fish Commissioner Blackford
The chief spokesman for tho menhaden men was
Captain Daniel G. Church, of Tverton r. l., who has
sixteen steamers employed and catches annually about
10000 600 menhaden which he converts into oil and
fertilizer. Man a factOr,' said Mr.. Church,
In the scarcity pentiflness of fish Forty years
ago there not menhaden enough along the At
Iantc coast bait the lobster traps with All at once
they swarmed along shore by hundreds of millions.
They are like all fishes. They come and go and no
man knows whence they come or whittier they 20.
cruised for years off Hyannis and Cuttyhunk and
saw a menhldcn Then in 1874 he greatest body
of menhaden that was ever seen suddenly appeared In
Mr.. Church was asked II the menhaden were not the
principal dependence of the valuable bluesh for food
No gentlemen" he replied; " the feet that fishes
for bluefsh off Sandy Hook always keeps out to sea
TO find its fish. The menhadcn fishermen are close in
shore and the latter furnish the former with bait
This shows what every fisherman Will tell you to be
So that while bluesh menhaden. they do not hunt
them for food The menhaden run from the bluehsh
sheep from wolves and take refuge close to the
shore, where the bluefish never follow them. The
only fish thai depend upon mcnhaden for subsistence
the predaceous saes, the sharks, porpoises and
fnback whales
Mr.. Church, speaking Of food fishes, said that the
amount of food fish caught In the nets Of the menhaden
fishers not a drop In the bucket"
Captain Jake" W. Hawkins Of Jamesport, L. J.,
whose five steamers catch 100000 fish year, cor
rohorated all that Mr. Church had said. Captain
= akcr unable to tell why menhaden fishermen
were looked upon pirates all along the coast
He thought 1t due to ignorance OF the facts On the
part of the inhabitants.
Statements also male by Captain Mason, OF
TIyerton, and Captain Wilcox, of Long Island, show
ing the extent OF the industry and that II has fallen
of from 100 steamers and fifty sailing vessels within
few years about sixty steamers and forty sailing
vessels, the latter being in the Chesapeake Bay.