New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-26
THEY WANT NO CHANGE.
SOUTH JERSEY FISHERMEN OPPOSED TO
PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
THE POUND FISHING LAW BEFORE THE COM
MITTEE ON GAME AND FIsHERIEs-sTIRRING
PROTEST AGAINST THE PASSAGE OF THE
LAw-IT WOULD DESTROY ONE OF
NEw-JERSEYs GREATEST
INDUSTRIES.

LAw-IT WOULD DESTROY ONE OF
MEMBERSHIPS GREATEST
INDUSTRIES.
Trenton. Feb. % (SpeciaD.-The fishermen OF
South Jersey. who greatly interested in
number Of new bills introduced in behalf of the
State Fish and Game Commission. were numer-
ously represented IN the Senate Chamber at noon
to-day when the Senate Committee on Game and
Fisheries gave q hearing on Senate bills Nos.
1913 and 1875. The committee consisting of Sena-
tors Ward, Gould and States. was all present
Senator Parry. who stands as sponsor for both
bills, at the request OF the Commission was
the only advocate for No. 123. which was the
first one to be discussed.
The bill relates to poundnet fishing. 1t re-
quires license for the maintenance of such
nets. reduces the meshes Of the leaders to four
inches and the meshes Of the pockets to two
inches and requires the pockets to be raised
from Saturday neon until Monday morning.
The pena]tv for infractions of the law is revo-
cation Of the license
Edmund Wilson, an attorney Of Red BANK,
who had been engaged to address the COM
mittee on behalf of the pound fishers. was the
first sneaker His argument was long and fun
of details He asserted that there must nave
been some motive for the Introduction OF
measure that would practically destroy inc
means Of livelihood Of thousands or hshermeh
along the New-Jersey coast. lnasmuch as 'he
promoters OF the bill were not present TO pre-
sent their side Of the case. he could not tel
what that motive was. but II savored of an at
temnt TO iniure an industry in favor OF the
sporting element
INJUSTICE OF THE MEASURE
In the first place" he said. the bill seems
10 leave the question Of the granting or the
license for pound fishing TO the FISH ana uaiie
Commission 1t should be mandatory Inns
measure makes no allowance for the securing
Of witnesses by the fishermen who may Nio-
late the law They can have no attorneys oi
enter any plea. They must see themselves ue-
prived Of their means Of support The Dill IN
this particular Is un-American and autocrauc'
"I have made calculation which shows that
IN the 1870 miles between Sandy HOOK ana 'he
Canes Of the Delaware there Is over 'ooV'VV0
invested In the poundnet fisheries VI '"''
half is vested in nets. the balance IN 'he s'oic
accessories. which go to make up the great III
ors,r, which provides cheap food for the
r,aeses In Ocean and Monmouth counties
ooo families depend on the fisheries. THESE
people have been engaged In TINS pusi'less a..
tbeir lives. Their fathers were In H. aho' IL
force them into a business to which they are
strangers.
".s 70 the nrovision which says that the nets
,,,,st ha raised on Saturday all | can say Is
That n is an abomination. This does not mean
sir,nlv q loss OF forty-eight hours. Inc ohly
wav the nets can be operated practically Is 10
mt them down early In the spring ana keep
tber, down II this measure becomes n law
Tho fortv-eight hours In which the nets must
remain I'D may at any time be the very peiiou
that would save the fishermen from loss ioi q
whole season. The provision that at ieaS' A,o
feet must intervene between the shore anu ''
nets also works a hardship, as much or 'he
esbermans success depends on the location oi
his nets.
.1t has been suggested that the poundne's
interfere with the hook and line nsheriiei'.
Such an Idea did not come from the NOOK anu
line men themselves. but from thos" VINO iish
with rod and reel wear patent lea'hei s'o''
and Scotch caps. for the pure iuh Oh ca''i','e
Cob The men who gain their livelihood by the
hook and line will tell you that the iSh "ii''n
orc caueht in nets never bite at the hook ana
vice versa
AN OLD FISHERMAN'S VIEWS
Mr. Wilson was followed by Captain fo''er'
a grizzled, weather-beaten hsherihah i'o'''
Long Branch. who started OUT WIN '0
ment that he had grown weary OF cohii"s ~
Trenton every year TO defend MS HVe'hoou
"I,n, q fisherman" he said. Have been for
years and my father was before me- can
Gov that there never were more fish caught
49, tho Iersev coast than last year This dis
noses Of the statement that pound fishing Is
dos,rov,np the fish This bill must have been
oorod nv a man who had no experience
rha, ,bara,s this license business. don't IKE
tho, The Fish Commission has been Uylhs
| 90 hreak m the pound fisheries for years ana
| .,,s nil, would appear TO be intended 10 90 H.
! .rr ,seo | set a poundnct n Karltah Day
| rher the war broke out. and lett my he''
| and home and raised company OF s'N's nv
and went to fight for the Union "heh W.
that | never thought that would nave 10 c"'i'
here and stand under the Stars ana stripes anu
hep for living / have done 1t for -FOUR year
| and only hope that you won't pass any SUI"
| bill"
SAMMY" Ludlow who catches the first shac
in the North River every year. was the heAi
speaker. His address was p' h u. ~, snr SOM
kept his hearers laughing nearby io' BUM
When Christ saw the men who had failed ,'
catch any fish, he aaid Iake your ,a ne" Ills and
hail and go down and catch the fsh thihh
ttat when the Lord creates people ne prVNlue'
| suficiency or fOOd. II Inv
want their sport let them have il ana not IVY
70 take the bread out Of the mouths OF thorfahu'
Of people ., ., Ia ono y,
the wealthiest fishermen in Asbtry PARK, mex
| addressed the committee. lie confined hllnseil ~
first to the technical part OF the DILL esPeCi',S
,,h rooard IN the size Of the mesh. which he
said should not be over 3H inchee--the SIZE now
In use. To Increase the size would work TO th'
| detrment Of the fish
SOME FISIGY STATISTICS.
Continuing. he said The larger part OF th'
Ash catch Is weakhsh. For 100000 pounds I"
weakish caught III guarantee that there arr
not 800 pounds Of bluehsh caught by nook an'
line From Sandy Hook to Cape May there II
no, one-hundredth part of the area occupied DN