The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-02
THE PROTECTION OF FISH.
An Appeal TO lie Made to the LegIs-
Inture of Maryland.

ANNAPOLIS. Nd, Nov. 2.-GeOrge
Dobbin Penniman. president Of the Mary
land Fish and Game Protective AssCcia-
ton, announced recently that the asso-
citation is going to make a strong fight
In the next Legislature to secure the pas
sage Of laws which viii have for their
purpose the protection Of game fish from
determination. In the lower bay. he
said. the excessively long pound nets and
purse nets were running the fishing. and
the young fish in the upper bay and its
tributaries are suffering from too much
seine fishing.
Mr. Penniman and his associates realize
that they will meet with opposition from
the men engaged in the menhaden indus
try. but they think that the desire OF the
people at large to preserve fishing as
sport viii rise superior to that Of the
comparatively few men engaged in fishing
for menhaden. Mr.. Per niman said
We shat not do much until the mem
hers Of the Legislature are elected. but
then We shall start to work among them.
1t IS pity 10 think that fishing as a sport
In the salt water streams OF the State has
been almost wiped out because Of the
methods OF the professional fishermen.
When the fish start up the bay to spawn
they are caught by the millions in the ire
mendous!y long pound nets and by the
steamers and schooners engage in purse
netting for menhaden- These men catch
the smaller fish principally. upon which
the tayiors, rocks. and other game fish
feed, but they also catch and turn into
guCnO thousands Of the food fish them
selves.
What fish escape the nets down the
bay are harassed and caught I'm enormous
quantities by the seiners farther Up. who
also destroy innumerabIe little fish which
are on their way TO deep water to finish
their growth and then to return TO the
bay later As consequence Of the I'M
limited fishing the food supply Of the big
hSh Is being exhausted and they are nat
urally keeping away from cur waters
Now. the questions is with the people
OF the State, whether they are willing for
a few men to make money out OF the
nets or whether they prefer 10 take steps
which Will tend to preserve the grand old
sport for every citizen Of the State who
would 20 a-ishins- As in all other mat
tiers Of this kind. politics and local jeaI-
ousies play great part, and Il is hard
20 tell what we will be able to accomplish
Each county is so afraid that some other
county or section will get ahead Of it that
it looks with suspicion on any changes re-
lating to the natural industries IN which
1t has share. Some Of the professional
fishermen are also politicians and. Of
course. they are not going 10 allow us 10
pass new regulations without putting up
a fight.
In regard to game laws we will have
few suggestions 10 make. as we think
there are about enough laws on that sub
Jcct now. The principal new feature We
"a SCI % 4fs.r-
uniformity In the laws regulating the
shooting seasons in the various parts of
the State. Under present conditions couu-
ties adjoining each other have opening
dates so Tar apart that people from one
county swarm Into the other and nearly
exhaust the supply Of game there before
their own seasons opens.
Then when the other fellows sea son
begins people from the county that has
been shot TO death rush over next door
for revenge. and the result IS that there
is twice as much shooting I'm each county
as there would be II both OF them had
the same season