The Penn's Grove record., 1906-05-18

delaware river. lie prOullSeu W SeIlu
men to this section to see if it is possible
to obtain eggs for Matching purposes.
John Hickman Wright, of Pennsville,
president of the Fishermen's Protective
Association, agreed with Mr.. Titcomb re-
garding the bay fishing. He also blam-
ed the pollution of the Delaware for the
scarcity Of the shad. Upon the author
ity of Edward S. Harris OF PENIS Grove,
he stated that thousands of young shad
are annually killed by the chemical mat
ter from the du Pont Powder Company's
works at Carney's Point. 1t was also
stated that the young shad when they
are about six inches ia length are caught
by the menhaden fishermen and thereby
destroyed. The oil works at Marcus
Hook and the oil tankers that empty
their ballast in the Delaware river are
also charged with being accountable for
the scarcity of the shad to a certain de-
gree. The fishermen present at the meet
ing paid marked attention to Mr.. Tit
combs address and many of them raised
il interesting points and gave the govern
ment representative important data.
Mr.. Titcomb said in part that there
are a number of shad hatcheries operated
by the government, including that of tie
Fish Hawk at Gloucester, n. J. He de-
tailed the manner in which the eggs are
secured for Matching and said that so per
per cent OF them are prolific. The Fish
Commission Bureau has been noticing
the gradual decrease of the shad. There
have been large quantities OF eggs secur-
ed but the fish are not to be had. Now
some regulations are necessary Tor fish
ing in the bays and mouths OF the rivers.
Stake nets are used in salt water and in
that way the goose that lays the golden
egg is killed. sit is a sure thing" said
Mr.. Titcomb, "that in order to have shad
you must allow them to reach the spawn
ing grounds in fresh water. This des-
truction has been noticed IN the south,
in the Chesapeake and even the Della
ware bay. We have spawn takers at
work and will send them any place where
the spawn can be secured. Though 49,
000,0 900 eggs were secured in 1901 only
4,S41, 900 were obtained in 1905, so it can
be readily seen that the pound nets do
not give the fish a chance to come up the
river, and as a result the shad are dying
out like the sturgeon"
DR.. Black remarked; cit can be easily
seen that without the shad fry we are
not going to have the shad."
Mr.. Titcomb continued: "The catch
of shad from Cumberland county, n. j.,
in 1901 was 275, $50, and in 1904 only
"a, 700 shad. Salem county had 1,347,-
440 shad in 1901 and 43S, 200 in 1904.
Kent county in 1901 caught 1880 and in
1904 22,270. New Castle county in 1901
caught 25S, SOB and 147, 200 in 1904. The
government is willing to pay $40 a mil
lion for the eggs. New Jersey, Delaware
and Virginia must be united to find a
solution to this question. Federal con-
troll OF the interstate waters is necessary.
Proper regulations must be maintained.
A New Castle man on the Pacific coast,
Giles Lambson, has the record for secur-
ing at his station the greatest number of
salmon eggs.
Mr.. Cooper asked: "Do you favor a
closed season." To this Titcomb re-
piled: Decidedly not, but a restriction
OF the fishing in salt waters"
DR.. Black said: "It has been suggest
ed that the menhaden fishermen catch
the shad when they are four or six inches
in length and that the catch of these
purse nets is thrown in as menhaden and
the young fish are thus killed"
'"This is the first time l have heard Of
purse nets catching the young shad,"
said Mr.. Titcomb.
Mr.. Cooper said: "The Fisheries Com
pany say that their nets are from 40 to
100 feet in depth, 700 to 1000 fathoms / n
length and that nearly three acres are
swept by a haul. Is it not possible for
them to catch food fish ?"
"They are bound to do So" said Mr..
Titcomb, "but this is the first time l
have heard the point raised regarding
the small shad."
DR.. Black asked: "What do you pay
the fishermen for the eggs?"
Mr.. Titcomb said: "We give $40 a
million, and there are from SO, 1000 to
$4,000 eggs in each shad. When the gill;
ers act as spawn takers they are paid 500
a million for the eggs. Shad will not
spawn IN polluted grounds, and it is
known that the bottom of the river is far
stronger than the top of the water"
P. G. Madden, agent of the Fisher
mems Protective Association, said he had
been informed by Penn's Grove fisher
men of the pollution Of the Delaware riv-
er by the DUPONT Powder Company, and
that thousands of young shad are killed
near Penn's Grove.
Charles Bennett believed that a law
should be passed prohibiting the catch
ing of shad in the bay so that the fish can
have a chance to get up the river.
James A. Davis said that men from
New York and Pennsylvania line the
Delaware bay shore with their cabins
and these are the men who help to make
the present condition possible.
John Hickman Wright blamed the oil
tankers for much of the trouble. He said
the river is covered with oil and when
the fish reach Ship John light house
49,, c+oc 4horo Hho oolIEo~