The Penn's Grove record., 1905-02-24
STURGEON ASSOCIATION ELECT
OFFICERS.


CONTROVERSY Over the Size of Mesh.
At a meeting of the members OF the
members of the Sturgeon Fishermen's
Association held at Davis hotel. on Feb
ruary 18th, the following officers were
elected:
President, Luke CARL; Vice President,
Sylvester R. Bowen; Secretary, Henry j.
Blohm; Treasurer, Samuel P. Snyder;
Executive committee, James Strimple,
Theo. Fish, Bedford Il. Wood and Allen
Hunter, Jr.
The present law says nothing less than
a 10 inch mesh can be used to catch hsh
after the close of the shad fishing season.
That was made to protect fish during
the ~propagating season in the summer
and consequently restricts the size OF the
mesh of sturgeon nets. Last summer
many small sturgeon were caught IN
nets with meshes between IL ana 10
inches, after the repeal of the law last
winter, which formerly prohibited fish
ing for sturgeon during July, August ana
September. The law now allows the
catching of sturgeon over four teet IN
length. Many of these young roe sturg-
con would be worth from $50 to $50 III a
year or two.
The close season was repealed because
Delaware did not have a like law. Dela-
wareans could catch sturgeon all sum
mer while J%erseymen could not fish.
To save some of these small sturgeon,
which would grow into great profit III a
year or two, some of the of the fishermen
are advocating a law which will prohibit
a.mesh less than thirteen inches. Henry
J. Blohm and Ernest E. Bright went to
Trenton on Monday and appeared before
the Fish and Game Committee Of the
Senate in behalf Of such a law. There
was a petition from the Fish and Game
Commissioners in behalf of a law that
will prohibit a mesh less than fourteen
inches, which they approved.
Since this movement has become gene
rally known among sturgeon fishermen
great opposition is made to it, because
Delaware has no much law and it is not
likely that Delaware would pass such a
law, consequently Delawareans would be
allowed to catch these smaller sturgeon
and ~Jerseymen could not do so any more
than they could fish in the close season.
The greatest objection is made because
many fishermen have already rugged nets
with meshes from eleven to thirteen inch
es which would be made worthless by
the enactment of 14-inch
mesh law, made to go into effect
Immediately. Nets with larger sized
meshes and coarser Irvine use to be the
general custom, but Of late it has been
learned that nets with smaller meshes and
and finer Irvine catch more stur-
geon, especially the smaller fish in
summer, because it is thought the fish do
not see the finer Irvine so readily and be-
come easier %entangled.
Some who object to the Is or IA inch
mesh limit find little objections, if instead
Of prohibiting the catching of sturgeon
below four feet, the limit be raised to
five or six feet. By making a 14-inch
mesh law take effect after the fishing
season this year, when their nets with
smaller meshes will be worn out, less
objections can be made.
The increase in the price ofcaviar from
$40. so a keg in 1889 to $40 in 1905 has
been caused by the gradual decrease in
the number of sturgeon caught. Unless
there be some protection this industry
will soon be extinct.