The Penn's Grove record., 1894-11-02
oIR FISHING

destroy our fishing Industries. There
fore, they suggested the necessity Of re-
pealing kll of the present hsh laws. and
in their stead enact laws that viii be a
great benefit to the fishermen Of our
State. think u VIII . TO the interest
OF the shau hshermen OF south jersey
% expose the absurdity OF this line OF
action as suggested by some OF the
Wardens and Commissioners and also
to show how destructive to the fishing
business OF our State would be their
ideas, ii converted INTO law.
OF the forty Wardens OF our State l
doubt whether one tenth OF them are
practical fishermen. l presume most
of them are ignorant OF what would be
the best laws for the protection OF the
shad fishing business OF New Jersey.
At least we are led to believe this from
the action they took and some of the
ideas they advanced in their report on
the fishing interests OF U State.
Shad fishing is mi OF the important
industries Of South Jersey. Hundreds
Of men are engaged in 1t and a large
amount Of capital is invested in the
business. The last two or three years
shad fishing has not been as profitable
as in former years. There has been
quite a falling off in the catch OF shad
in the last three years. Many causes
have been advanced. Think the prin-
cipal reason is because OF the great de-
struction of the young fry which l be-
lieve bas been going on for several years
by the poisonous gases which come
down the river during tue latter part OF
May n fore part OF june.
II is remaIkaple what q large amoun
Of filth and obnoxious gases that come
from mills, factories and coal oil
wbaryes. The tshermen all know That
during the heavy freshet last spring The
tide water was almost black as coal tar
and smeiled so bad n could hardly
stay on the river and Keep contents
OF his stomach in Its place. Inc shad
caught at that time we're so affected by
the condition OF the water as TO cause
much comment. When getting INTO
the net they would struggle so different
from what they were in the habit OF
doing.
/ have no doubt but that there were
tens OF thousands OF young siiad de'
stroyed during the week h water was
50 thick from gas Tar. Many more
thousands are DESTROYED BY the large
number OF carp which intest the water
along the shores, as they are carniver-
Gus in their habits. The government
has INSTRUCTED b iishing grounds by
placing SO many jetties and buoys and
filling up different places, mus destroy
ing some OF our best fishing grounds.
Notwithstanding all these things we
have TO Contend with we have also the
Fish Wardens opposed to Y interest;
that is II the papers report tDem cor
recily. The Wardens ought to be IN.
terested in tile success Of the iishing
business instead OF trying e destroy IL
1t was slated In the papers thai during
the meeting ofyhe> H1rtens tiiey were
almost unanimous IN ave ol-ilaying .
bill passed ut the next session OF our
legislature Tor y close day III the middie
of the week. | hope our Warden did
not favor such an outrageous bill. VINO
would a close day benefit Tine war
dens, of course. They would get pay
for just double the time they are now
getting pay for and It would cost the
State several thousand dollars more TO
meet the extra expenses OF the wardens.
Evidently, 1t appears that a close day