Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-04-18
SHAU FOR DELAWARE RIVER.
Millions of Fry to be Deposited by u
Government In the stream.

tributes the following to the Philadel-
phia Press
"planked shad for the poor man"
seems to be the motto of the United !
States Fish Commission. If the poor
man furnishes the plank tho Fish |
| Commission will see to it that he gets
his shad at ridiculousy low cost.
| From an average of 10 cents for tirst
class Hhad few years ago the price
has been reduced to IL cents last year
and may be lower this year. The re-
duotion in the cost Of this popular food
fish can be credited to the work Of the
United States i ish Commission. The
propagation of all sorts Of food fishes
has progressed most rapidly, but the
| public attention is probably more en-
phatically directed to the shad than
to any other fish.
THE increase in the catch of shad in
one year represents more than the total
cost of propagation for twenty five
years, - was the statement made today
by the United States Fish Commits
sioner George M. Bowers. This would
seem to be complete answer to the
question as to whether the work OF the
United States Fish Commission pays,
In few days the steamer Fish
Hawk, which carries on so much of
the important propagation work in
Eastern waters, will enter the Delaware
River and begin the collection Of shad
eggs and their distribution to the
hatcheries. The shad fishers along
the Delaware may imagine sometimes
that they get too much OF good thing.
Last year shad were so plentiful that
the fishermen we're scarcely repaid for
the labor of drawing the nets. To in
sure continuance OF the abundant
supply, the Fish Commission dercsited
SO, 10000 of shad fry in that stream.
These, with the natural increase of the
delaware shad themselves, make it
reasonably certain that the shad eaters
OF Pennsylvania, Delaware and New
Jersey can depend on continuance of
the deicacy at price within the reach
uf the lightest purse.
The officials OF the United States
Fish Commission naturally are men of
large ideas. This is the logical result
of their dealing in big figures. Where
the work of other departments of the
Government may be measured by hun.
dreds and thousands the calculations of
the Fish Commission deal in millions
! and billions. Commissioner Bowers
report for the last fiscal year shows
) that their were distributed throughout
I
l,164, 1865, 754 fish Of different kinds
: This was an increase over the previous
year Of about 100, 600, 600, and it is cal
culated that a corresponding increase
will be shown this year, so that the
, total number OF fish distributed will
: amount to over billion and quarter.
: Commissioner Bowers is the patron
, saint OF fishermen, both those who
I pursue the calling for a livelihood
and those who follow it for sport. His
, bureau has the care.of all the principal
! food fishes in the country and in
emulation Of the agriculturist who
{ makes two blades of grass to grow
where there now is one, Commissioner
bowers is endeavoring to double the
. catch OF shad, white fish, cod, lake
Q trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, bass.
Q and, in short, all varieties of edible fish,
/ Lower prices may result from an in
. creased stock OF fish, but larger hauls
, and finer fish make the tishermen's
, remuneration greater.
The commissioner has undertaken
! the most difficult task yet presented in
= the history OF the commission. and
that is the salvation of the lobster
/, fishery. Lovers of broiled lobster,
: lobster 10 Newberg, lobster ealad
: and other preparations of that lucious
!, crustaceau have viewed with terror
Z the upward trend of prices on the
menu card. From Maine to Delaware
/, wall has gone up along the tlantic
! Coast over the dIminution of the lob
ster. For the past three years the
= Fish Commission has been making
! strenuous efforts to increase the output
of lobster fry. State fish commissions
: throughout New England have CO.
operated, but the scarcity of Holsters
l and the difficulty of getting egg lob
!, sters from the fishermen have made il
u almost impossible to increase the out
put. Last fiscal year less than 5000
egg Holsters were secured north OF
e Cape Cod. These yielded over 60, 900,
Z 600 eggs, from which were Matched
2 30, 100000 fry. The commission will
i not be satisfied until this output is at
few years broiled lobster may again
be within the reach of the modest
pocketbook.
Il When the State of Pennsylvania is
70 mentioned the officials of the FISH
Commission hold up their hands IN
!, protest Judging by the requests for
!, fish of all kinds Pennsylvania contains
!. more lovers of the gentle sport Of
angling and more consumers of fish as
|, food than any other State in the
n Union. The deposit of 80, 00o, 900 oil
- shad fry in the Delaware last year was
! only part of the aid given the State by
y the commission. In addition to this
= pi ince Of table fishes, Pennsylvania
- demands and receives large consign
10 ments of Atlantic salmon, rainbow
= tout, brook trout, lake trout, white
"a fish. pike, perch, black lass and Graphic.
~ In the matter of rainbow and brook
~ trout Pennsylvania Jared extremel,
20 we'll last year. Nearly 10000 adult:
- and yeaflings, representing several cal
IL loads were sent by the Fish Commission
into the State and distributed in tb'
streams throughout the mountainou,
districts and tributary to the large
rivere. The district covered extended
Il from Wilkesbarre and Honesdale tt
~ Altoona, and Bellefonte, and from
= Chambersburg to Lock Haven ant
~ Williamsport. The whole central par
70 Of the Stats has been stocked with
y. these game fishes.
- If tee water and weather are fair /
I week from next Monday thousands o
! Pennsylvania sportsmen will be in dut!
bound to call down blessings on tn,
T. head of Fish Commissioner Bowers
- - The several car loads of trout which
70 were distributed in the State last yea
20 ought to furnish great sport thi
40 spring. With the opening of tn
season on the 18th, there will be
practical demonstration of the utilit.
~ OF the United States Fish Commits