The times., 1901-06-02
A MASTER OF PISCICULTURR
An Experts Views Upon Wanton
Destruction of Young Fish.
Too Many Left to Die When They
should he Thrown Back Into Their
Native EIcment-AngIers Might
Aid in PrOpagatinr the Species.

~
The name of Seth Green will always be
| associated, in the minds of the American
people, with fish and fish culture, and that
son of such a father would take to fish
] is as natural as that the son of a doctor
would make a better physician than one
whose antecedents followed other pur-
suits, other things being equal.
Chester X. Green, the son of Seth Green,
is in charge of the breeding grounds of
| the United States Fish Commission, which
lie Just back of the Monument. Mr.. Green
brings to his work the experience in hand
| ling and Matching fish acquired from his
hoyhood days. To him fishes are almost
human, and in their way tell him many
interesting stories of their needs, enjoy
ments, and distreSses. AS some men are
endowed with an intuitive insight into
the nature of horse and succeed in
breaking or training rrectious steed
when everybody else has failed, so the
fish at the breeding ponds have come to
know Mr. Green and to know that he
understands them. If he saunters on the
bank of one of these ponds the big black
bass and other adults will follow him.
stop when he stops, and when he retraces
MS steps they, too. will swim back To
The Times man Mr.. Green said recently:
wish 1t were in my power to reach
the ear of every man and boy in the land
and to impress upon them the necessity
of helping the United States Fish Com
mission to maintain the fish supply of the
country. 1t is fact that. in spite of all
the Commission does to hatch and dis
tribute fish the supply is diminishing
This is due to a very large extent, to the
thoughtlessness of the man or boy who
&c, T
to reach.
1t is unfortunate that the public sense
is not more alive to the danger due to
wanton destruction of valuable fish,
which is carried on daily throughout the
United States. Many fine ponds and lakes
have become practically depopulated
which, few years ago were stocked with
thousands of individuals. Some States
are beginning to realize the necessity of
preserving the FISH in their territory and
have passed laws limiting the number of
fish which man or boy may take out of
the water in a single day.
.'All fishes which are rot large enough to
use at the table should be thrown back
into the water as soon as they are taken
from the hook or net. But this is rarely
done. the result being that a fish which
a year or two later would be large enough
for table use. is wantonly killed and its
possibilities for breeding millions of it's
kind is thus ruthlessly rcpt off. Thou
sands of such valuable fifhes are killed
every day in this country. When the lit
tie fish are caught they are thrown care
lessly into the bottom of the boat or up
onto the bank and allowed to, dry up and
are then thrown away.
Fishes are like human beings in some
do foolish things, just like children When
they get older and know more they do not
do the foolish things or take the unwise
risks that they do when theyt are young.
1t is much more difficult to hook an adult
fish than 1t is young one. The young
are trustful, like children, and believe
that everything and everybody is their
friend until they discoxens when it is too
late, that they have been entertaining
erroneous ideas. and that life isn't one
Joy.
The Fish Commission works fncessant-
ly TO keep our ponds, lakes, and streams
well stocked with fish,. and through the
destruction of the young and useless fish
in the manner suggested, millions of fish
Of future generations are lost to the peo-
pie every year, which could be saved
and become rich blessing, If the people
would aid the work of the Commission by
giving back to the water the small and,
to them, useless young fishes.
"A paper and pencil and little arithme-
tic will give just idea of the amount of
fishes ruthlessly destroyed in a single day
in the United States by failing to replace
the small fish in the water On an av-
erage of 100000 eggs. from 50 to 80 per
cent will hatch young fishes, This is a
fair estimate of the breeding of a single |
pair of adult fishes in a season. 1t is too
low rather than too high an estimate
Now at the rate of 1000 young and use
less fish wantonly killed every day in the !
year, there would be 900 killed in that
way yearly. Dividing that number into
half would represent the number of pairs |
Of fishes which would breed every year,
that is, 1S2,500 pairs, capable of producing |
in a single year, say, $1,000 young tor
each pair. That would be a yearly in
crease in the United States of 1900, ,000- |