Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1895-05-09
RENEWING The FISH SUPPLY
The Work Of Artificial PrOpaga-
ton as Carried on by the
Fish Commission
WAsHINGroN, May I.

WAsmNGroN, May Z.
One Of the surprising achievements
which the ingenuity Of man has at.
tempted in recent years is to maintain
the supply Of food fsh in the various
lakes and rivers Of the country. Pro-
lection Of the fish by judlcious laws
was formerly thought to be sufficient
TO secure this end, and while these
laws are very good Of themselves aud
no doubt il enforced would do much
towards preserving the fish, yet it has
been found difficult, in the frs place,
to enforce them, and in the second
place, even where "a reasonable obser-
vance Of these legislative enactments
have been secured, still each year
witnessed falling of in the catch.
No doubt the increased demand
keeping pace with the growth OF the
population, a. well as the poisoning
of streams 10y the impurities from
manufactures and great cities has had
a great deal 10 do with the rather al
arming falling OIL in the supply Of
food fish.
Some twenty years ago the Nation
al Fish Commission began ITS work of
raising fi.h from the eggs and distrib-
uting them throughout the rivers and
lakes Of the country. la thirty-four
Of the States frsh commissions are
carrying on the same WORK, although
perhaps not on as extensive scele as
the National Commission. Yet the
sum total of the efforts Of all these
agencies is claimed t. be an actual
expansion in the supply Of the food
fishes.
In spite Of the fact that more food
ich are consumed by the inhabitants
Of this country than was the case 20
sears ago, yet it still remains true not
only is the supply in the market more
abundant but prices are actually low
err Millions of baby fish are each
year set free in the various waters
throughout the country \ large
per cenAge are destroyed before they
reach maturity, aud in many ceses,
owing to local conditions, the entire
number OF fish placed IN certain lakes
and iivers lose their lives. Every eff
fort to stock pond or river is not
successful. 1t is stated, however that
these are exceptional cases.
At this season of the year the cer-
ter of perhaps the most active work
carried on by the National Fish Com
mission is at Fort Washington, lew
miles below this city. At this point
there is located one of the principal
stations of the commission, and the
purpose is to collect the eggs of Il e
Potomac shad, which is regarded AS
the finest species of this fish in the
country. Under the supervision OF
of the employees OF the commission
great nets are stretched across the RI
yer, into which the fish find their way
in their journey towards the spawning
grounds, which are in the fresh water
of the upper river.
The eggs are taken from the fe..
males, who give up their lives in the
process. From the males the milt is
secured, and the process OF Matching
the young from the eggs is carried on
in tanks owned by the fish commits
sion. As soon as the young shad al
sufficiently developed they are put in
cans, and the latter are loaded on can
and in this way the fish are transport
ed to various points, throughout the
country. 1t is of course necessary in
finding homes for the young firsf
that the proper climatic conditions
should be considered, otherwise the
entire supply is likely to meet an un
timely END.
The various species of food fish are
furnished by the Commission, and arr
placed in localities where the condi
tons seem to promise healthy exist
ence 1t of course takes time for the
fish to mature before they are read.
TO be served up as an article of food
There are many perils which surroun'
the early years OF their existence, bu
Lie is ev dent that enough Of these ar