The Washington times., 1906-05-27
SHAD FISH DOOMED,
EXPERT DECLARES
Will Soon Disappear Unless
Protected by Law.
POOREST SEASON EVER KNOW
Methods of Fishermen Rapidly Exter-
minating the Roe, Mr.. Tit
comb Says.

THE shad fisheries of the Atlantic
coast are doomed. unless the States take
immediate steps TO protect th-m from
the rapacity of the fishermen"
This is the view held by John W. Tit
comb. in charge Of the Government
Matching service of the United States
Fish Commission In a talk with a re-
porter yesterday he explained that the
bureau is just closing the Matching and
distribution of shad for thfs year. and
his reports from the various stations
give startling and conclusive evidence
that the supply OF shad on the Atlantic
seaboard is rapidly diminishing Mr..
Titcomb said the facilities OF the bu-
reau would allow the Matching and set
ting free in the streams OF the country
OF S0.O0o.ocO shad fry. but this year only
45,OOO,oOo have been handled In 1904 the
output was S5.4e3.OOo. and last year it
was below 57.0OO.OOo.
Supply Rapidly Diminishing.
These figures show, according to Mr..
Titcomb. that Sthe supply of shad is run
ming down at an enormous rate, despite
the efforts made by the Government 10
keep II up. He predicis that in ten
years. without the intervention of pro-
tective laws. shad will become so scarce
in the Atlantic rivers that they will be
purchasable only by the stewards OF
big hotels and those mo supply the
tables OF millionaires. h attributes the
cause solely 70 catching she fish as they
appear at the mouths Of rivers on their
annual runs TO the fresh water spawn
ing grounds. He said the enormous and
increasing demand for the shsd roe as
a table delicacy was at the root OF the
onslaught upon the parent fish as they
approach the rivers from the sea. The
roe, said Mr. Titcomb. 70 De used for
the table is better when the fish is
caught before It enters the fresh water,
as then the eggs enlarge rapidly. be-
come soft and unit for coking- In the
parlance Of the markets and the Bu-
reau of Fisheries the shad soon becomes
ripe in the fresh water.
Fish Too Easily Caught.
Mr.. Titcomb said the habits Of the
shad lent themselves admirably 10 its
determination. The fish approach the
shores in immense schools, actually
crowding one another in their efforts 10
reach the head OF the fresh water
streams where the spawn is deposited
He said the fishermen have learned how
70 intercept the run by nets skillfully
arranged in. the bays and in the broad
mouths of the rivers so that the mar
ketable shad are now nearly all caught
in this way by men who carry on the
business on an enormous scale Mr..
Titcomb declared the result OF these
methods was that so few roe shad
escaped the catch that the rivers are
much depleted. the natural spawning Of
OF eggs available for the Matching
bureau cut of 1t is only the ripe"
shad that is useful TO the bureau. The
policy OF the fishermen. therefore. said
Mr.. Titcomb, Is TO cut OF the supply
at both ends.
Restrictive Measures Needed.
In pointing out a remedy. Mr.. Titcomb
said II was incumbent upon the States
TO enact restricting laws against the
taking Of FISH in the brackish waters in
the bays and at the mouths OF the riv
ers The need OK these laws is not seen
solely in the depletion OF the shad, as
the herring. the perch. the rock fish,
and tailor are all disappearing in the
same way. The catch Of these fish this
year has been smaller than ever before
Mr. Titcomb said the fishermen are
wont TO give cold weather. adverse tides
and other causes. instead of the right
one
Mr. Ttcomb believes the fish should
be allowed TO ascend the rivers un-
rnoIested. at least during one of the an
nuaI runs say that Of the middle of
Nav. and that during a considerable
part of the shad season the catch should
be limited TO the fresh water, where tho
1F off he Ter r+
of an entire run of shad cannot be sue
cessfully carried out.
Mr. Titcornb said it was not the prov
ince of the National Government to take
charge of TIE fisheries and prescribe
regulations for State fishermen to obey.
The most that the Government could
do was to hatch the shad and increase
the supply by artificial means. The shad
were increasing in California, and other
Western rivers. under the restrictive
laws the States there enforced.
Fishermen's Theories Upset.
Mr. Titcomb said some of the popular
theories Of fishermen relative to the
habits Of the shad had been exploded
by the experiments of the commission
For instance. the idea has prevailed that
the shad always comes back to the
stream where it was Matched 10 spawn
This notion was disproved in California.
There the commission set free shad for
several years in one of the California
rivers. and nowhere else. For three
years now the fish have been returning
from the ocean annually 70 spawn
However. instead of coming back To
the San Bardino. they enter the rivers
all up and down the coast. Mr.. Titcomh
expressed the belief that the same was
true of the shad in the Atlantic. The
fish sweep up the coast from Florida to
Maine, and the roes enter the rivers
most convenient or by some law of
nature which warns them when TO enter
fresh water for the deposit of their
eggs.