Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-20
TAGGED FISH.
Letting Marked =Cods Loose to Study
ThefrdDisnnses.

Letting Marked =Cods Loose to Study
ThefraDisaases.
From the Boston Globs.
An experiment which, is being viewed
with the keenest interest by the fishermen
along the Atlantic coast is now being car
ried on at the United States fish Matching
station at Woods Hollj under the super
vision OF Commissioners. J. Brice.
For years and ever since the establish
ment OF fish hatEhinG station at Woods
ioll continuous observations have been
made through the year in reference to the
habits, abundance and movements of the
important fishes of the New England coast.
AT this station, as at all others, the pro-
dCct mas been from time to time seriously
anected by the presence of parasitic ami
n.ais ara diseases peculiar to the finny
trloes. " the food fish, the cod have per-
maps suffered as much from the parasite
animals as any food fish opagated at this
station.
The cases have been given careful study
oy scientists, and Investigations carried on
on an extensive scale. The results of the
Investigations have been most gratifying
TO an concerned. and it is evidently the in
tentlon OF the government to make this sta
tlcn the most important one on the At
lahtlc coast, utilizing the excellent facili-
ties mere offered to the fullest extent.
Whlle the habits of all kinds of food fish
nave peen given careful study by the scien-
eAAe~e VI tie cOU Is now receiving Spe-
cal attention
with view to securing more definite in
formation regarding some important points
concerning the cod the commission have be-
gun 10 turn loose in the waters of Vine
saiu sound several hundred cod, which in
weight vary from six to twenty pounds
ne nsh were procured from the fishermen
M the vicinity and stripped of their spawn
at this station
Before being released numbered tag is
fastened TO each of the fish. The tag Is a
sInail piece OF copper or tin, and is securely
fastened by copper wire to the dorsal, anal
or caudal fins.
Commissioner Brice has issued cIrculars
ana sent them to the fishermen and deal
ers, urgently requesting them that when 4
cou having Such a tag comes into their
hands' 10 remove the tag and forward it
10 the United States fish commission, either
at washington or at Woods Holl The
commission also request that the following
Information concerning the fish be sent to
them:
pate when caught, on what grounds
taken, weight before being dressed, total
length ron, end of nose to end of tail
whether male or female, and whether eggs
or mlit were ripe, large but not ripe or
immature; also the position of the tag.
rms inquiry will, it is expected, prove of
practical interest by showing. among 9TH
er things, the rate of growth of the cod
me Inc frequency OF its spawning. and the ex-
tent to which the individual fish migrate.
ara the assistance of the general public in
ilshlng towns is asked in order to make
the experiment fully successful
AS all the fish tagged and liberated by
the commissioners will be caught in Vine
yard sound and the adjacent waters, it will
not be 2 difficult matter to release them on
thelr natural spawning grounds.
Inc fish which are tagged have to be
handled very carefully and skillfulIy both
before and after they are brought to the
station. AS Goldfish do not live for great
length OF time after they are taken out of
thelr natlv: element, it is only the nearby
Hshcrmen who engage in the business Of
catching them.
Among the fish thus far liberated are sew
efal that tipped the scales at over a dozen
pounds. AS soon as they were tagged they
were put into big tank and taken far out
INTO the sound and released The process
OF tagging these fish is quite nterest ting
ard requires the services of two skilled
opera tors. a small hole is made through
the dorSal, anal caudal fins through
winch small copper wire is passed. To
this wire are attached the tags, which are
about one inch in length, One-half inch in
width and about the thickness of writing
paper. The numbers are stamped in the
middle. a record of the fish released is
kept in {: book especially designed for that
purpose.
The work of liberating sufficient num-
her Of these large fish will not be finished
before next spring, the commissioners
wish to give the experiment good trial
and, besides, it is no easy matter to get
just such flSh as are Suita BILE for the pur-
pose at this time of the wear