The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-04-06
SANFRANC|SCO BAY SHAD
More Abundant Than at Any
Point on Atlantic Coast.
FISH COMMISSIONS WORK
Government Cost Of introducing
These Fish Is Less Than 5000.
Total Annual Catch ls Valued at
$165, 5,0o0--Not All Of Uncle Sans
Investments Profitable.

Siuo,OOV-iNOt All CI OnCle sam 3
Investments Profitable.
Uncle Sam expends hundreds of
thousands of dollars every year in
maintaining various scientific insitu-
tions. Some of his Investments turn
out profitably and others do not. Tn
doubtedly the best paying experiment
OF this kind the government has un-
dertaken was the expenditure of
few thousand dollars a comparatively
short time ago in establishing the
United States Fish Commission.
Chairmay Hemmenway, Of the
House Committee on Appropriations
In a statement delivered on the floor
of the House in defense Of the annual
expenditure for the support of this
commission, gave a striking illussra-
tion of the practical value of the gov
ernment fish hatchery. He explained
that not a great many years ago the
commission shipped few carloads Of
shad eggs TO the Pacific Coast, where
they were planted. They were fol-
lowed with some striped bass fry.
They were the first fish OF this spe-
cies introduced into those waters.
Today shad are more abundant In
San Francisco bay than at any point
on the Atlantic coast. The total
government cost of the introduction
of these fishes was less than $4,000.
Today the total annual catch is more
than 100000 pounds, valued at $685.
600. The total value Of the catch of
shad and bass on the Pacific coast is
more than $950,00O, which Is a pref
ty good return on an Investment Of
less than $4,000.
Now the Fish Commission Is trying
to introduce the Pacific coast salmon
into Eastern waters. II its efforts
in this direction meet with only a
small part Of the success that attend
ed the planting Of shad and bass in
the Pacific the value Of our fisheries
will be increased tremendously. Ex-
periments with two or three species
have been made without finding 1sh
we'll adapted to the conditions OF the
East. But the government experts
are confident that they will sooner or
later find the salmon that will thrive
in Eastern waters.
The magnitude of the salmon fish
cries on the Pacific coast has required
very extensive artificial measures to
maintain the supply. Without the AID
OF the government the greedy pack
ers would have long since sent their
supply to meet the fate of the buffalo
During the present season the Fish
Commission collected on the Sacra-
mento and Columbia rivers and tribu-
taries of Puget Sound quantity rep
resenting 1,260 bushels of eggs. The
effects Of such work continuing over a
long period have been unmistakable
From experiments in the marking of
the young salmon before their release
from the government hatcheries to
the streams, it appears that for every
thousand young salmon planted at
an average cost of less than 81 per
thousand, 1000 pounds of adult fish
are caught for market, having a max
imum value of cents pound.
The government fish scientists will
make an effort to save the sturgeon
sturgeon all over the country is that 1t
succumbs easily to the ravages OF
man. It's increasing value both as
food fish and for it's eggs, has had the
effect of greatly stimulating the catch
during the past few years. The search
has been pursued so recklessly that 1t
has been completely wiped out from
hn oh CT
waters. The result is that the stur-
geon, which fifteen years ago was re-
garded as a nuisance and was thrown
overheard when caught, is now the
most valuable food fish in the market.
A female sturgeon weighing $50
pounds can be sold without diff Guilty
for $75 or 500. Sturgeon spawn is
worth 81 or SO a pound. 1t finds its
way to the tables of the epicures un-
der the guise of Russian cavier.
Season after season the government
agents have been trying to find ripe
female sturgeon In order to secure
eggs for Matching. UP to this time
the search has been unsuccessful but
it will be carried on more systemat-
lCdlly CURING tHe COtIllHB spring. OH0
of the chief difficulties in the way of
artificial propagation of this fish is
the fact that its runs have been so
broken up that there is no place
where it appears in large numbers,
The government fish experts have
more than once saved the lobster from
extinction and are now trying to pre-
serve the diamond back terrapin from
determination. The history of these
fast vanishing animals has been un-
der study for several years. Lately
a government pound was established
on the Choptank river Maryland,
where six pens were built and stocked
with the best Chesapeake terrapins.
They have all been tagged so that
definite information about the rate Of
growth, which has always been a
mystery, may be ascertained II is
also hoped to find out what kinds
Of food this high priced luxury pre-
fers Eagle.