Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-23
FISH IN INNER BASIN
PROPOSITION TO STOCK THE PooA
DISCUSSED.
r.r,miss,oner Bowers Says It woulo
Not Be Practicable to Make 1t
Special Fishing Ground

c.no NJ Rowers, commissioner OF
49,, I-,ited States fish commission mas
-r,tten TO Commissioner west OF lhe D,'
-. hoard in reply to letter from lho
,...er calling attention to the recoilihhe"
+,or of Major Sylvester. WARDEN VI "
came and Fish Protective Assoclauoh'
tive to the stocking Of the inner paslh -
the Potomac park lands near TIC
,npton monument with desirable 'arie"''
of food and game hsh.
..vas,erdav, saws Mr.. Bowers, AN eA-
merit went over the ground Win MaJoi ~
,,oster and examined both the udai oasih
and the inner basin, with the view u asee
,,,,a ,bether either one could be useo
for the purposes suggested. Inc 'i0a.
st, NOW furnishes good fishing at certain
so,sors of the year. but as 1t Is open, TO the
river at two points. and neither the ou''e
nor the inlet can be screened. 1t wouio loe
ha nracticable to make II speciai hsn!ne
Gopna In other words, the Introduction
Of fish into the tidal basin "ouiu NJ
necessarily mean that such nsn WouIu ~,
main there at all seasons OF the year. ~ -.
they would very naturally spread ABOUT III
such parts of the Potomac river as seem
most congenial.
Small In Area.
.s1-bs inner basin. so-called, Is small in
area for sustaining a large number OF adult
fish. and the extent to which this basin
co,ld be successfully stocked Is entirely
dependent upon the amount of natural nsh
food contained In 1t, unless arrangements
made to Introduce live fish food at va
rioy,s seasons Of the year, The inner basin
could be very easily screened and the nsh
introduced therein thus controlled Tne
waters are of too limited area. however. to
afford any considerable fishing for the large
number of anglers residing In the Dis
trict and vicinity. Its waters are not well
adapted to the successful propagation or
the small-mouthed black bass, although
limited number Of the large-mouthed spe-
cies would thrive there. If any plan Is
adopted to stock the inner basin literally
and retain the fish therein by screening
the outlet It Is probable that such desirable
species Of pan fish as the yellow perch.
crappie and catfish would be the ones that
could be introduced with the most satisfac-
tory results.
1T is underst ood that the inner basin Is
intended principally as swimming pool
for the youth OF the city, and 1t Is pos
sIble that the District Commissioners would
consider the feasibility of combining the
fishing in this pool to the youth. In that
case. by liberal stocking every year much
pleasure could be furnished to them. The
work of the Game and Fish Association OF
the District in furnishing funds to seine the
liable one. and this commission will gladly
cooperate with the Game and Fish Asso-
citation In future years by furnishing ex-
perts to superint end and assist In collect
ing the fishes from the canal during the
annual period OF draining It. and many of
the fishes thus saved could be advantage
ously introduced into the inner basin. pro-
vided any plan to keep 1t stocked Is adopt
ed. Large numbers OF fsh are annually
distributed in the Potomac river by the