The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-09
To PROTECT THE FISH SUPPLY
Secretary Bruner Says Decisive
Action Must be Taken
Legislature should Interest Itself in
the Matter-Goyernor Glenn Again
at the Capitol-Meeting Concerning
the immigration Moyemenf-Char-
tiers by the State.
Messenger Bureau.
Raleigh, y. c., March 6.

LIE 2dll lAdI I1oA. i. IA 4ANA.
secretary to the state board of asri-
culture, has made a soiOurn has al
ready been chronicled, but there are
facts that will be developed by that
visit that have so far scarcely been
brought to light. Mr.. Bruner talked
today with The Messenger correspca-
dent regarding some Of the fish inte--
ests along the shores Of our state va
terways. He said in substance: There
are certain things affecting the fish
industry in North Carolina that are
in a condition which demand the most
Serious consideration from the people
of the entire state. While these condt-
tons have effect with the fishermen,
most OF all, il being d source of rev.
enue to them, the whole people are
affected, however, in food supply, and
il is this aspect of the case which is
Of most interest at present. Fishes
far below the normal size of food are
taken, some finding a market at rldic-
ulOus figures, and some being hauled
II and used as fertilizers on the
lands adjacent the streams and SOUNDS;
for instance: / saw wv bushel boxes
of mullet at New Bern, averaging four
to six inches in length; those boxes
bring fifty cents each, twenty five cents
going to the boatmen for delivery at
the market and the other twenty five
cents to the fishermen. Had those
mullets been allowed to remain in the
water three to four years and then
been marketed during the months when
those fish are in prime-that is during
A,,n,,c+ Cantor hnr nofoSor q nd NnvpnI-
berthe contents of the box would
have been worth fifty dollars. instead
of only fifty cents"
When asked if such practice was
general. Mr.. Rruner said: This is
only an example of what is being done;
tons and tons of such fish Of this size
are taken from the waters annually.
Something should be done, and quick
ly, to stop this wholesale destruction
Of such a valuable food product. 1t
would seem the fishermen would see
1t for themselves, and think Of the
future and of their posterity, and al
low all such fish to remain in the Wa
tiers, but when questioned on this
point they reply, If my nets don't
catch them those e to me will
Butter fish are also caught in the same
way, to say nothing of the shad fry
which are caught returning from the
up streams to the salt water, and by
the same nets. There being no mar
Nets for these they are invariably
hauled on land. And still the COM
plants are general in that region that
there are no fish. Little wonder indeed,
with this process going on that there
are any remaining"
Queried as to possible or probable
remedy for such conditions, or abuses,
Mr.. Bruner continued: Every COM
munity, almost, has It's theory; one
man says restrict the size of the
meshes in the nets, the next says, /
am opposed to interfering with the
fishermen in this way. The thing to
do is to make it unlawful for fisher
man or fish dealers to have in his pos
session any food fishes below certain
sizes. This will destroy the market
for that class of fish and will so pre-
vent their being taken from the water.
Then another man will say that neither
of these plans would prevent the fish
ermen from using small fish for fertil-
izer, and so it goes. When we reflect
that this vast supply of food, which
~ SuppllSu 4thou SoSt SASSPS NAO
labor of catching-is really a heritage
of the people of the state and o the
property of those who live on the
water. It seem that some steps should
be taken to equalize the catch and dis
tribution so as to prolong and preserve
the supply, and thus enable h fish
ermen to have a permanent source OF
income and the people of the state a
permanent source food supply of this
character. The fact is this vast inter-
est, amounting in value to several nil
lions annually, should be carefully and
thoroughly policed with a view to nus
banding the supply. TIE lines defined
in the laws of the state for the setting
Of pounds and gill nets should be mark
ed out by the state, and when once
thus defined should be entirely policed.
At present the law in Pamlico Sound
says that a net may be set 1000 yards
from the reef, but the reef is mo- de-
fined. There are many of them. The
man who lives where the sound is ;h!r-
ty miles wide, if he adopts the first
reef, and the man on the other side
does the same thing, there is more
than twenty nine miles of open water
between them; but this is not adhered
TO, the reef not being defined, and
the nets are set sometimes in ignorance
and many on purpose in forbidden wa
tiers. When those who are obeying the
law demonstrate they are told that The
reefs are not so defined and they are
presumably within the law. In any
event it is time the legislature of he
to abandon its time honored GUS
tom of referring fishing matter to the
members from the counties bordering
the sounds and bays fwho in many
cases have promised their constituents
not to interfere with fishing rights be-
their duty t this state by such wise
thir duty to this state by such wise
as will best preserve and
the future Of this source Of
wealth"
The secretary Of state chartered
the Hannah Pickett Mills, incorporat-
at or al Rockingham, N. c. To-
tai authorized capital stock is $780,
600. and $50, 900 is subscribed by r. A
Little. Little Rock. Ark. L. l.. Little.