Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1895-05-09
RENEWING The FISH SUPPLY
The Work or Artificial PrOpaga-
tiOn rs Carried ON by the
Fish Commission
Special TO the Press.
WASHINGTON, May I

WASHINGTON, 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 fish in the various
lakes and rivers Of the country. Pro-
lection of the fish by judicious laws
was formerly thought to be sufficient
to secure this end, and while these
laws are very good Of themselves and
no doubt il enforced would do much
towards preserving the fish, yet it has
been found difficult, in the frs. place,
to enforce them, aud in the second
place, even where "a reasonable obseT-
vance of these legislative enactments
have been secured, still each year
witnessed a falling off in the catch.
No doubt the increased lemand
keeping pace with the growth OF the
population, as well as the poisoning
Of streams by the impurities from
manufactures and great cities has had
a great deal TO do with the rather al
arming falling of in the supply Of
food fish.
Some twenty years ago the Nation
al rssh oo.-.~;--..-- ',,zs~s7ss wosk-5f'
raising Och from the eggs and distrib-
uting them throughout the rivers and
lakes of the country. Ia thirty-four
Of the States frsh commissions are
carrying on he 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 to be an actual
expansion in the supply of the food
fishes.
In spite of the fact that more food
iieh are consumed by the inhabitants
of this country than was the case 70
gears 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. a large
per ceutage are destroyed before they
reach maturity, aud in many ceses,
owing to local conditions, the entire
number OF fish placed 10 certain lakes
and rivers 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 ceL-
ter Of perhaps the most active work
carried on by the National Fish Com
mission is at Fort Washington, a 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 the
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 ait
a sufficiently developed they are put il
, cans, and the latter are loaded on car
, and in this way the fish are transport
, cd to various points, throughout the
! country. 1t is Of course necessary ii
finding homes for the young firsf
that the proper climatic conditions
should be considered, otherwise thu
entire supply is likely to meet an un
r timely end.
n The various species of food fish arr
is furnished by the Commission, and ar
d placed in localities where the condi
% tons seem to promise a healthy exist
N ence 1t of course takes time for thu
IT fish to mature before they are read
=. to be served up as an article of food
le There are many perils which surroun
in the early years OF their existence, bu
it is evident that enough Of these al