New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-01
EARLY ARRIVAL OF SHAD
RIG CATCHES IN THE HUDSON IN
FORMER YEARS.
SOURCES OF THE SUPPLY FOR THE NEW-iOl'N
MARKET FACTS ABOUT THE

.o,o,ororv cessation on account Of the recent
cold snap Of the bountiful supply OF Hudson NV.
shad which began 10 run unusuallE cary "a,
month is reported by Eugene G. Blackford, OF VI
. ,,o-te, the ex-presldent of the State Board or
risheries Commissioners. There are however sun
"as good fish in the sea as ever yet were rusH''
and the brief deficiency Of the home eaten Is onSe
-. ,,,sral receipts Of North Carolina shad. Inc
Nau,-York shad are fighting shy OF the coia ""'ei
:, ~ ,trdson refusing to return from their annual
cv,Aorn tourney and again inhabit their summer
homo IN the lordy river till its temperature becomes
genial.
PRICES HAVE SHARPLY ADVANCED
On account OF the absence Of the coy HUDSON
River shad prices have sharply advanced Lhey
nave not as yet got so high as those rneh'loheu =!
Cato the Elder who wondered how that CITY was
preserved wherein fish was sold FOR more Una"
an OK" but they seem to be pretty ssrohgV
"soujnflng that way" and much dearer imam III
the corresponding period of last year Inc prize u
q good roe shad advanced from 90 cents u % e"o"
in the last few days OF the month. Inc aNe'"se
date on which the toothsome Hudson hWer s"au
returns from its wanderngs is about - fatrlc .t
Dav March H. in time the parade but inns
wear Mr. Backford received the hrst one OF tle
season at the remarkably early date OF Marcn ~,
Just one week before the Dyes were " "e"ii -
the green" 81,
s,r,na1 bass are coming In freely. and selling
a. q cents a pound for the large boiling ish, weSh-
ng from four eight pounds, and 10 cents a pounu
.or the small pan fish. Last January anu Tco-
ruarv bass were very scarce and sold for % cents
a pound During the last ten or twelve gay 'neie
has been large catch Of North Carolina p'ueiish'
which are selling at from Is TO Is cents a pound
Some Interesting facts and figures concerning the
immensely Of former catches of Hudson River shah
furnished to Il Tribune reporter recently ny
President Huntington and Secretary Doyle, or the
State Board Of Fisheries Commissioners Following
IS the number Of Hudson River sAad captured In the
respective years indicated by actual count. as
nearly as It was possible to be made through special
Efforts 1856 liz SO; 1856 1OO95; 1857. lj6S5il; 1SS
l5W54; 1889 I,O73ISl. The estimated number caught
in 1891 and 1891 about 100000 In each year ana
IN 1872 and 1893 about 100000 in each year. Inc
!Sar 1857 was The 6anner year IN tne ls'Ur ccSt
Of shad is from two ana half to three pounds
was from 3.S2l5s3 to 47Oi.SI pounds rresd iah
Huntington says he has seen hudson RIVER sha!
weight He has heard OF much larger onesm mot
quite 50 large as genuine ievathan but stil very
10 be accepted as "all wool and n yard wide
OTHER SOURCES or THE sHAD SUPPLY
Large quantities Of shad are received from the
delaware and Susquehanna rivers. and also from
St Johns River Fla, the latter being the earliest
In the market Formerly good many shad were
caught IN the Connecticut River. but on account OF
the pollution Of its water by the refuse from manu-
factories along IFS banks. and other causes, the
shad 10 longer there ~,
, The shad's annual pilgrimage TO points Soum ,o or
the capes Of Virginia IS made In quest Of warmer
waters the shad being as sensitive TO coid as b ~
celcate I'm favor. AS spring advances the shdu
cruise nOithvarJ along the coast IN vast shods WI
they reach theii native rivers. which the recognize
and enter with msrvellols instinct each FANNY
being exclusive and rcsolutcly refusing 10 lower us
dignity by misceGenation. 49,,
The spawning season Of the shad IS rom w.
J go u4tI OF May Ia the latter part or June eu'
fish sometimes found on the spawning OedS ~
the neighborhood OF Hudson and Athens nearly
10 miles NORTH Of this city. early as May 10.
During the spawning season the Fisheries Commis-
soners their supply OF spawn for propaga tlng
many thousands OF shad at their mammoth hatch
cry AT Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. on the
Sound The date on which the shad begin 10 DO
their spawning is regulated by the temperature OF
he water
A beneAcent State law protects tie parent shad
during the spawning season by prohibiting fisher
men from setting using any net in the bay.
harbOr river from sunset OF every Saturday TIL
sunrise OF every Monday during the season. BY
this means the fish have chance of getting up TO
their spawning beds without running deadly
gantlet.
postpone spawning for several days. but soon
as a favorable temperature IS experienced the fish
get on a lively gait and prepare ne way. and
make the subaqucOus path stIaght Tor millions
upon millions Of their posterty Not long after.
ward the gods and little fishes nave good
squirminc time til the fatal day arrives for the
Juvenile shad. as 1t were 10 walk the plank