The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-18
The Great Fish Fight.

That is an interesting fish fight which Is
| now going on In this city between the
pound-net men and the rod-and-rcel men.
So far the former have scored slight ad-
vantage; but their attack was evidently in
the nature Of a feint.
All the facts and all the evidence have not
yet come to the front. The testimony OF
the markets Is not altogether trustworthy.
because. let the supply be great or small.
the market men manage just now to keep
the prices substantially the same-high.
very high. They don't want a large sup
ply OF fish. but they do want big heap OF
dollars; and. moreover. they can prove.
with little trouble. unfortunately, that blue
fish are yellow. that blackflsh are green,
and that red snappers and sheepshead
have no eyes.
The bold and bald statement OF the deal
ers. or the fish trusts. that the supply Is on
the Increase. will hardly stand the test Of
investigation. Here In New York. for in
stance. the fishing grounds In the upper and
lower bays have been rapidly growing from
bad to worse during the past ten years. In
deed. 1t may be said that the fishing in these
waters has been destroyed. Are the rod-and-
reel men the only sufferers By no means.
An immense number OF men who netted on
a small scale for living have been driven
out OF the business. Their nets brought
them in nothing. Men who used to hire out
boats to the anglers have also been ruined.
and hotels on the seaside have lost their
principal trade. Even the railroads have suf-
fered somewhat by the disbandment OF the
army Of anglers that formerly travelled over
hnt nd hA l.
been deprived OF fresh fish in the markets.
According to the testimony OF one of the
net men. nearly all the fish in tho markets
are supplied from the pound nets. Now it
Is notorious that In these engines, as they
are called. at least one-half of the fish die
before they can be taken out and the other
half have very little life left when they are
tossed in heaps into the boats. The result
is that when the people buy them In the
market. the flavor is gone. and the food Is
too often unhealthy.
There are now, we arc told by Mr. A.
WALLING OF Keyport. n. j., twenty-eight
pound nets In New Jersey. Let 1t be re-
membered that these twenty-elght nets en-
echeLon along the coast arc not only de-
structive In their great waste OF fish, but
practically stand as barriers against the
incoming shoals that would otherwise re-
plenish our two bays. In 1892. says this gem
tleman from New Jersey. 1000. 900 pounds
or fish were taken In these nets, and this
year about 10. 900. 900 pounds were taken. He
does not say how many million pounds were
thrown away because they were unmarked
able when taken from the nets. or because
the market men didn't want them. And
prices were high! But this Is not all. The
menhaden men. it is safe to say. caught Just
as many more. The statement that they
catch mossbunkers only is not believed even
by the marines. 1t must also be borne In
mind that the greater portion OF this
enormous catch is taken in the months
when the fish come in to spawn. Take
Princes Bay, for instance. a famous
fishing resort long ago. During the past
few years that beautiful bay has be-
come totally barren both for the anglers
and the men who made their living by
netting on q small scale. Our amlable
friend. Mr.. ROOSEVELT. is inclined to ascribe
the merit OF sincerity to the gentleman who
told the spOrtsmen that the reason they |
didn't catch fish was because they didn't |
know how; but. after all. there was per- |
lAps very little sincerity In that smart re- |
mark. 1t sounded too much like the pro-
1erbiAl fun OF the fshmonger.
But. to put the thing in nutshell. the |
anglers and little fishermen do not propose
o interfere very much with the mighty |
nsn OF many nets. They propose to give
hem the ocean. and keep the bays for
themselves. They also want them to
AXE their nets away from the line
4 the procession OF spring fish. That
cute. the scientists tell US. extends
rom the shore about three miles. All boz
'Ond that three miles. the net men are well
ONE to. II the fish are 50 numerous as
hey say they are, they will have room
nOugh 10 catch all they want. Theyoug
.ot to quarrel about tribe Of three miles
uring the spawning season. Nor is it
to extend this restriction TO the
-astern States. The fish procession comes
rom the south. That is the whole AFFAIR.
To be sure We agree with the statement
hat man Is not factor in the Increase or |
ecrease Of the fish supply In the sea. But