The herald., 1894-03-12
THEY EAT TOO MUCH.
A NEW THEORY ABOUT THE
PREVALENT FISH DISEASE.
A San Busna Ventura Man Considers
That the Sickness of the Fish
Is Caused by Over
eating

Mr.. Frank Fazzio of San Buenaven-
ture writes to the HERALD as follows re-
garding the prevalent fish disease:
Having had the experience of fish
erman on this coast for about 20 years,
notice the different theories in
reference to the great quantities of fsh
dead and dying along the beach from
San Diego to Santa Barbara published
in the papers.
Having arrived at q conclusion Of the
cause, and wishing to eradicate the very
erroneous theories now being published,
| contribute my version and conclusions
OF the causes from my personal expert
ence as q fisherman, trusting that you
publish the same in order that my ver-
sion may be investigated and be of some
worth to the community.
The months of January and February
10 the general spawning time OF the
smelt, also of many other kinds of
small tish, such as sea trout, etc., etc.
They spawn abundantly in great guam
titles all along the coast; more too,
believe between San Diego and Santa
Barbara; when the weather is calm, the
spawn is 80 thick that it forms q web on
the surface.
The winter, although a cold one,
caused by the long continuance OF the
northerly and westerly winds, the lack
OF our usual southerly storms and the
want of rain, ETC., has made our coast
comparatively smooth and still, en-
abling the spawn to accumulate in
abundance along our coaet and islands.
Had we had our usual storms from the
southeast with rain, one half probably
of the spawn would have been destroyed
and we would not now have to discuss
the dead fsh problem. The spawn is
the principal food of the ssrdines. At
this time, or period, the sardines are in
abundance along our coast, at present
Cutting themselves ON the spawn. They
so gorge that they become listless and
inert, and are an easy prey to tine smelt
and sea trout, who, likewise, are glutted
with the abundance that they in turn
become the easy prey OF the "Barra-
couds, "Flounder," rock cod and other
fish.
The larger fish are in abundance, be-
cause by overlooking and being close to
the shore they are gorged and filed, and
with but little power of exertion they
shore, from which they cannot escape.
The beach ID the home of thousands
of parasites, worms, etc. The parasite
finds entrance to the tish very quickly !;
enters through the eye, mouth or gills,
and consequently fish, after remaining
on the beach dead an hour or two, con-
tsins more or less OF the parasites or
worms.
There is no sickness whatever in the
fish. They are all at present gorged to
such an excess by the abundance of
food that they drift listless and helpless
into the surf and not having sufficient
power OF exertion are cast on the beach,
where they are attacked by the parasites
and worms which has led to the very
erroneous version that they are diseased.
This season | caught sea trout in
which discovered q ssrdine which COM
pletely filed him. Again l caught rock
fish, who, as a rule, do not feed on sar-
dimes. the sardines being so much swift
or, when opened | found it filled to ex-
cess with sardines.
Again there is another illustration
proving the gluttony and gormandizing
capacity of fish. Many years ago l as.
sisted in tho hauling OF seine to the
shore. In the seine we had caught a
porpoise. weighing about 500 pounds,
who seemed to be sick. He had gorged
himself with the small fish and we took
from him 81 pounds of fish, two-thirds
perfectly fresh and whole. He had
swallowed them entire and 30 filed him.
self that he had no power to escape from
the net.
feel assured my version is correct.
If you open fish lately cast on the
beach you will notice that he is more
or less gorged. As for the seismic dis
turbance that cannot be; had such been
the case you would have heard OF dead
fish floating in mid-channel.
The same is the case with the version
of the flowers OF the kelp being poison fol
them, the fish would be seen floating in
all directions from counter currents and
sounds. Again, there is an sbundancs
OF kelp north of Santa Barbara to Point
Conception. Were it the kelp flowers the
fish north of Santa Barbara would be af-
fected in the same manner, whereas
they are not so affected north of Santa
Barbara.
am satisfied that on a thorough ex-
animation and inspection my yer sion
will find full credence among expert.
anoad 6ab and in ,,oan