The Jersey City news., 1906-03-14
TO DISEN1ANGlE
FISHING TACKLE
Legislature May Be Asked
to Settle the Troubles Of
the Menhaden and Pound
Net Industries
LAWS ARE RECOMMENDED
COMMISSION APPOINTED TO IN
yEsTIGAFE SALT WATER FISH
ING MAKES IT'S FIRST REPORT

l4NG NAMES LIS H1RSI nEtsOR1
Remedial legislation for the menhaden
and pound net fishing industries are re-
commended in 4 preliminary report which
the commission appointed to investigate
salt water fishing has forwarded to Gov
ernor Stokes and tie Legislature. The
commission consists Of Senator George L..
Shinn of Ocean; Charles A. Shriner, of
Paterson, and Joseph Crawford, of New
ark.
The report concerns itself solely with
the menhaden and pound net questions,
and for the former suggests an act pro-
hibiting the taking of food fish by steam
boats used in the traffic with purse or
shirred nets within the three-mile limit
under penalty of 5000. Section two Of
the proposed act provides that any one
intending to take menhaden shall make
application to the State Fish and Game
Commission and pay fee of S100 for
each vessel of not over fifty tens tons
mage; 1925 for one not over one hundred
tons, and 5000 for over 100 tons.
Licenses are not to be issued for more
than one year.
The act, which is supposed to regulate
the traffic at present, but which has been
found defective, would be repealed if the
foregoing was enacted.
The report at length sets forth the sit
uation as it now exists, and the necessity
Of probing further. 1t explains that be-
cause of the extensive and complex ma
ture of the subject it will be impossible
to conclude the inquiry before the adj
journment of the Legislature, hence the
preliminary report and recommendations.
The report relates that the commission
has found condition of affairs that JUS
titles additional restrictive legislation
The measures proposed, continues the re-
port, as a remedy to existing evils are
not of such "a nature as to injure the in
terests of any person.
Concerning the menhaden industry, the
report states that the alleged twofold
economic value of it-oil and fertilizer
has not been controyerted by those who
oppose it, and, consequently, the commits
sion took the contention of counsel for
the menhaden interests as being true.
Despite federal Investigations, Congress
! has declined to interfere with the indus
try, declares the document, and because
of the manifest benefits arising from the
pursuit of the industry your commission
cannot understand any interference with
it, so far as the taking of melhaden only
is concerned"
The taking of food fish by the men
haden steamboats,, however, the report
adds, demands restrictive legislation.
Though the menhaden interests allege
that they do not take enough food fish
to provide food for the ship crews, the
commission declares that it is firmly CON
vinced that the menhaden steamboats,
should be prohibited absolutely from ta-
king food fish fer both hygienic ard eco
nomic reasons. The report refers to the
action of the menhaden corporations in
building storage plants for food fish, and
AYERS &isat it has reason to believe that
this feature of the business is going to be
considerably enlarged.
In conlFs senting upon conditions in var
ious States, the report takes occasion to
criticise the conditions under which the
State Fish and Game Commission is sup
posed to enforce an act that in intention
is supposed to prohibit the taking of food
fish and providing license fee for all
craft engaged in menhaden traffic. Evi-
dence adduced at hearings, says the re-
port, showed that forty steamboats, COM
ing from the South did not pay penny
for the privilege Of fishing off the Jersey
coast. Those operated by New Jersey
corporations paid fee ranging from 500
TO 5000, depending on the tonnage Of the
vessel.
! Though the Fish and Game Commits
sion does its best, asserts the commission,
it has not been furnished with the means
necessary to exact tribute from foreign
vessels. The only remedy suggests the
report, is a fast-sailing gunboat.
The report devotes much attentpn to
the pound net problem, which is some-
what similar to that said Of the mem