Evening star., 1896-12-05
THE POTOMAC SHAD
Investigation Of the Extent and Value
of the Fisheries.
DATA COLLECTED BY FISH COMMISSION
Capital Invested and the Revenue
Derived From the Industry.
A RTIFICIAL PROPAGATION

ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION
The tabulation Of results obtained by the
fish commission after making q thorough
investigation Of the extent and value of the
Potomac river shad fisheries, which has
just been satisfactorily completed, shows
that 1,248 men are given employment by
this industry. and that $l27. 900 of capital is
profitably invested. A large proportion of
those who annually purchase shad from
the itinerant and Ioud-voiced huckster, or
else have formed an acquaintance as the
result of planked shad excursions, probably
do not realize that the perpetuation Of the
species in marketable quantities has been
due alone to artificial propagation conduct
ed by the fish commission, and which has
been in successful operation since 1876.
Capital Invested,
AT the close of the past season H. O.
Weaver of the commission was sent out to
collect full statistics in regard to tine shad
fisheries Although the Potomac is but one
hundred miles in length the work was
found to be tedious and difficult and ten
! weeks were required to gather the desired
information. Mr.. Weaver covered the en-
tlre distance on both sides of the river
making his journeys on rail, boat or foot
as was best suited to his purpose. He OBJ
tanned data from each fisherman engaged
IN the trade. and the result has been as
thorough census as IS possible The COM
pllahon of the data collected by Mr.. Weaver
shows that Oh the Maryland side of the
Potomae 425 fishermen are engaged in the
shad industry and S21 on the Virginia side
making a total of LAG men. The shore
property on the Maryland side is valued at
s2D,O23; there are used 131 pound nets
valued at s., 115: seines worth s4,ODU; 1O5
l1pa6
aggregating in value S6,965. The total in
vestment on the Maryland SIDE as thus in
dicated. is 1855. The shore property on
the Virginia side is computed at sl5.925.
SS pound nets are used, estimated TO be
worth $35,115; seines, valued at Sl3, 200;
641 gill nets, worth s7.19s. and 333 boats,
aegregating in value sls.S3:.. The total in
vestment on the Virginia side is $50 BIB
making the grand total of capital employed
on the Potomac in shad fishing sl27 72S
The Catch for 1896.
The total catch for the river in 1896 was
GS5,413 fish, weighing 2,447,037 pounds ard
representing market value Of $63,641. This
catch was divided between the two states
as follows: Maryland, 234 5SS fish, weighing
eoi,s64 pounds, and valued at s20,557. Nir-
Einia, IJ0,S25 iish, weighing 1,592, 2t3
pounds, worth S43.oS4. The work perform
ed by the various instrumeItalitles en-
plcyed in taking the ish as follows:
maryland, pound nets, -, ,04S fish, weighing
lS6,1H pounds worth $5,aj6; gill nets, 49,
SO fish. weighing J0G,I26 pounds, worth
81 .4a9; seines, 44.O6U fish, weighing 1J0 A.
pounds, worth Ss.:'s2 Virginia, pound nets
217i30 fish, weighing 12a,tri0 pounds val
ued al 326s; gill nets, 153 $40 fish, weigh
ing 5s.s73 pounds, worth $l3.345; seines,
1S,"S5 fish, weighing 2tS. ga pounds, worth
81, al. In addition GOO Clip nets were util-
:zed on the Maryland side in taking 2220
poi rds of fish, valued at $50. These were
chiefly employed en- the rocks al Great
Falls.
The past season was very poor one as
compared with 1885, indicating a falling off
in the catch of about two-fiflhs, or nearly
cne-half. In making the investigation
data for both years was obtained. SO as
TO make A comparison. Every fisherman
! as his own peculiar reason to assign for
the great reduction in the number of fish
taken, but none of them are satisfactory
TO the scientists. who believe that the real
reas' lies in the varying conditions of
temrerature at the mouth of the river In
diHerent years, or that long continued high
gales blow the shoals of fish past their
attempted destination, and they go on to
the Albemdrle and other regions further
south, SO what constitutes loss in one
sectlcn Is a gain in another The catch of
shad in the Hudson river shows about the
same percentage of falling off as in the
Potomac, while in the Delaware there was
considerable increase over the preceding
year. In 'SJ5 more than one million shaG
We're taken in the Potomac
Young Shad Introduced.
During the past three years more than
2'WVooo young shad have been placed in
the Potorac by the fish commission in car
rying out long-established system of arti-
fcial propagation. In 1894 there were
deposited 2,6O2 600 shad fry: in 1So5 n
Is5,OOO: in 1885, y. 131, 90 During each of
lnese years there were also deposited J.
WU,VO OF what are designated as year
lihss. IN the earlier periods of artificial
ODaQQtinn "a fish,
put a Few days old. Now, they are retain
60 In the carp ponds on the monument
grounds until the autumn of each year
when the fish have attained a considera bIe
elowth and have reached a length of three
or FOUR inches. The theory is that a fish
OF that growth has a better chance of
exlsung and escaping its enemies than
one but a few days old. 1t is estimated
that If even less than 10 per cent of the
fish deposited as the result of artificial
propagation survive the shad industry will
De maintained and an opportunity afforded
for development.
The curious fact was noted by Mr.
Weaver during his collection of statistics
that the past season was almost unprece-
the total catch being in excess Of 10000 900
nsh AT the same time markably low
prices prevailed, and the fishermen were
comparatively unrewarded for their labors.
The Revenues Derived.
For mary years the revenue derived from
Snad IN the Potomac has been second only
to the oyster trade, the river itself ranking
next to the St. Johns, Hudson and Della
ware in the value of its shad fisheries
The continual improvement i'm methods has
gradually reduced the number of men given
employment. Six years ago 3.576 persons
and -, vessels were engaged in the Poto-
mac fisheries. In early times haul seines
were the only kind of apparatus used in
taking fish. About fifty-five years ago gill
nets were introduced and eventually sup
planted seines. In 1873 pound nets were
hrst put In the river, and since that time
nave gradually grown i'm favor. In 1859
there were S3O pound nets: In 1890, 376 and
IN 1871, Al. 1t then became apparent
that the multiplication of these nets near
the mouth of the river was diminishing the
catch In the upper Potomac and that the
ultimate result of taking such quantities
of shad before reaching the spawning
grounds would prove exceedingly harmful.
and that If the fisheries We're to be main
tanned some restrictions would be neces-
sary limiting the number of nets, their
nature and location, or artificial propaga-
tion must be conducted on an exceedingly
extensive scale.
Result of Artificial Propagation.
Prior to artificial propagation the fisher