Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-23
FOOD FROM THE SEA.
Remarkable Results of the Expert
ments in Cod and Lobster.
REPAIRING RECKLESS RAvAGEs.
Seventeen Million Fish Grown From
Seven Hundred Captivsa
THE LOBSTER FIGURES EVEN HIGHER

In August last, writes the Rev. M. Har-
vey, scientist of exceptional attainments,
now at st. Johns, Newfoundland, I gave
an account in the New York Tribune of
visit paid to the cod and lobster hatchery
at Dido Island, Trinity Bay. This is the
largest establishment for the artificial prop
agation of fish in the world. The opera
tions of the Matching season are now draw
ing to close.
q The artificial propagation of Goldfish and
Holsters, as well as other salt water fishes, IS
matter in which the civilized world is
deeply interested. If it is possible by that
process to increase, to any considerable e1-
tent, the supply of food fishes drawn from
the ocean, this achievement will be of great
benefit to the world. Under the teachings
of science, agriculture has made enormous
strides, doubly or trebling the productions of
the soil; but aqua-culture is yet in its in
fancy. The day is not distant when it will
be seen that the cultivation of the waters is
not less important than the cultivation of
the lands as a means of increasing the sup
plies of human food.
RECKLESS OF THE FUTURE.
! Keen-eyed science has of late turned her
attention to an investigation of the nature
| and habits of those denizens of the waters
| which furnish food for man. From all quar-
ters comes the alarming cry that the supply
of the most important of these fishes is fall
ing off; that fisheries once abundant are ex-
hausted; that certain fishes are threatened
with absolute determination through hu-
man cupiditv, recklessuess and Ignorance.
Can science remedy this, and sustain or in
crease our supply of food from river, lake
and ocean? As far as fresh waters are con-
cerned, this question is already answered in
the affirmative. But fresh water fishes are
insignificant, in an economia point of
view, when compared with those which the
great ocean yields. Can science help US
here?
In the great experiment of the artificial
propagation OF marine fishes, the United
States of America has the honor of leading
the way. Associated with the enterprise
are the names of Prof. Baird-a naturalist
of worldwide reputation-Profs. Verrill
and Brown Goode, Messrs. Miller and San
derson Smithman, eminent in the world of
science. Great advances have been made,
but far more remains to be accomplished.
The success already achieved gives, how
ever, glorious promise of what is to follow.
SCIENCE AND PRACTICE COMBINED.
Here in Newfoundland we are following
the path which Prof. Baird's scientific in
vestigations opened up, and endeavoring to
turn these TO practical account. We have
been fortunate in securing the services of an
able Superintendent of Fisheries in the per-
son of MI. r.Adolph Nielsen, who spent many
years in connection with the Norwegian
fisheries as one of the inspectors, and who
knowledge with large practical experience.
1 am now to give some account of his
Matching operations at Dido during
the past summer. Mr.. Nielsen carried on
simultaneously at Dido the Matching
of Goldfish and Holsters. The ova of the two
species are totally different, and require
very different methods of treatment. The
cod ova float, being of less specific gravity
than the sea water; whereas the lobster ova
sink to the bottom of the apparatus. Gen.
orally speaking, cod-hatching is a much
more difficult operation than lobster-hatch-
ing. The eggs of the cod are extremely del
icate, SO that the slightest injury is enough
to destroy their vitality. The utmost vigi-
lance is needed in securing constantly re-
newed supply of pure salt water, of certain
degree of salinity and density, during the
Matching time.
| LOBSTER oVA MORE HARDY.
Then the eggs, after being taken from the
female, have to be fertilized by contact with
the milt; and no small difficulty is en-
countered in securing sufficient stock of
male and female Goldfish at the proper
spawning stage. On the other hand, nature
presents the lobster ova already fertilized
and clinging in thousands to the ibrils
under the tails of the mother fish. They
have only to be removed carefully and
placed in the Matching jars or incubators,
and they bear rougher handling than the
others.
| Mr.. Nielsen succeeded in securing 700
spawning Goldfish in various stages of ripe
ness in May and June. These were placed
in pounds surrounded with wire netting, to
which the sea water had free access, and fed
On whatever bait-fshes were in season-such
as herrings, caplin and squids. AS the oya
and mllt ripened the fish were stripped"
and then returned to the pound till further
ripened; for female cod takes from six
weeks to two months in shedding her ova,
and same holds good of the male fish. The
ova, when fertilized. are placed in the
Matching Jars and carefully watched and
constantly cleansed. Dead ova have to be
at once removed.
OVER SEVENTEEN MILLION HATCHED.
Night and day the steam engine is pump
ing sea water from depth of 80 feet. All
this involves much labor and watchfulness.
Up till July % he had collected SO, ,82O, 900
cod ova. Of these 16 100, 900 were rejected,
and II, 100, 900 were hatched, and the young
fish were "planted" in a good and healthy
condition in the waters of Trinity Bay.
Thus 5OT per cent Of the total ova obtained
were successfully Matched, which is q salts