Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-30
BAY FISHERIES.
The Food Fishes of the Chesnpeak and Its
IL ..r',f Tributarics.

Jhe FOOD Fishes OF the chesapeake and Its
.t-'se Tributaries.
Crisfield, Md, July 27.--James @.
Tawes, fish commissioner for the East
ern. Shore of Maryland. has been active
in promoting the propagation of fish
sinco hic appointment. He has been
in the fish business in Crisfiold for
the past Is years, and during that
period the firm with which he is con-
nected has. handled over 100 tons of
fish each season. He says:
There is more in the fish commits
sion of Maryland than many of the
citizens of the State generally imagine.
This arises from the fact that it is
impossible for all to see the magnitude
of the work carried on. il citizens
could take a trip along Tangier sound,
the Wicomico river, the Nanticoke
river and the extensive body of water
stretching distance of GO miles from
the mouth of the Choptank to the head
of Tuckahoe creek, they would be
amazed at the traps, fixes and other
instruments used to catch the different
species OF fish. Throughout this entire
distance of hundreds of miles trout,
perch. shad, rockfish,. .sheepshead, blue
fish, mackerel, pompanoes, herring,
kingfish, sturgeon, porgies, mullet,
spots, tarpon and drumfish are caught
in great numbers Over this territory
men under the direction of the com
missioner are continually travelling in
order to buy roe for the Maryland
batcheries. Certain classes of fish are
more numerous now than ever before
in these waters, and the fishermen on
the different rivers unanimously admit
that this increase is due to the arti-
fetal propagation Of fish. The num-
ber of fishermen in this section is con-
stantly increasing. while the supply of
fish shows no diminution. The appli-
ances also for taking fish have been
improved, and If it were not for the
activity of the commission all the eggs
that are now taken from the fish would
otherwise be shipped to the different
markets and destroyed. -
Since Commissioner Tawes/has been
in charge 6.475, 600 shad have been
hatched, to say nothing of the other
fish. Mr.. Sudler was commissioner at
the beginning of this season. and dur
ing that time 1000, 900 shad and
60, 600, 600 perch were hatched. This
makes 13, 475, 900 shad and GO, 600, 900
porch that have been hatched thus far
this year.
Mr. Tawes says: Suppose that one
tenth of these young fish live and we
value the mature shad at five cents
apiece and perch at one cent. This
would make the fish worth S136. 375.
AS it only costs So, 250 to maintain the
hatcheries, it will be recognized at
once as good investment. A large
proportion of the fish doubtless live.
When the shad drops its roe in the
water it has to lie "a long time before it
natures. giving other fish a chance to
destroy 1t. When artiticially hatched
the young fish are not put into the
river until they are able to take care Of
themselves.
''I'here are three hatcheries on the
Eastern Shore one on Tuckahoe creek,
branch of the Choptank; one on tho
Wicomico river and one on the Nanti
coke river. The shad go up these
rivers to spawn, whereathey are. caught
by thousands. A fisherman hauled
his net in May on Tuckahoe creek
every so minutes. He caught a mum
ber OF shad each time. Fish Matching
employees, furnished with porcelain
pans, follow the fishermen, and as
soon as the net is drawn tho roe shad
are carefully examined. Ii found to be
in the proper condition, the roe is taken
to the hatchery. There the roe and
melt are prepared and placed in hatch
ing g-boxes, In few days the young
fish are ready to be taken out.
"Nearly every visitor to the hatch
cries expresses doubt in regard to the
accuracy in counting fish eggs. They
do not believe that such small objects
can be accurately counted and desire
to see how it is done. Fish eggs can
be counted as accurately nearly as sill
ver dollars. The mature egg of a shad
is as large as 3 b shot. 1t is posi-
BILE to toll the live eggs from the dead
ones by the color, tho dead ones being
dark. A perfect egg is clear and the
young shad can be plainly seen. They
are counted by laying them on a
smooth surface, tin or glass, and meas
uring the surface which they cover.
There are 40 to the square inch il full
ripe. A shad, according to the report
of the United States fish commissioner,
will produce 25, 600 eggs.
Pompanoes, Florida fish, is being
taken along the Eastern Shore in great
numbers. Boston bay mackerel, fish
unknown before in our waters, is being
caught. There seems to be an extraor-
dinary run Of mackerel this summer. :"