Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-11-24
NO II
THE MULLET.
BUREAU OF FISHERIES CONDUCT
ING IMPORTANT INQUIRY.
This Fish One Of the Best Along the
Atlantic Coast and His Habits
Are Being Inquired into.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Washington. d. c.. Nov. 2f.--An in
vestigation Of particular importance TO
the people OF the South country, IL
being conducted by the Bureau of
Fisheries. 1t is an inquiry into the
habits, spawning aud general charac-
teristics Of the mulIet, one OF the finest
food fishes that swims.
Curiously enough, little Is known OF
the mullet, For several years efforts
have been made by the Fish Commits
sion to ascertain the habits OF the
fish, to learn when and where 1t
spawns and TO hatch the muIlet fry
from the eggs taken from the female,
but the efforts have met with no sue
cess An inquiry extending over three
seasons was made In the waters OF tho
South Atlantic coast but II developer
no definite information. Thus far, 1t Is
not known when the flsn spawn, how
they spawn or whether they can be
Matched artiflcially.
The mullet Ii abundant on the coasts
Of North Carolina and Sauth Carolina.
Thousands OF barrels Of them are
shipped annually from both OF those
states and from Florida. The run
OF mullet begins In the Carollnas early
In the autumn and in Florida waters:
on the east coast. II begins in Novem-
Der. The ash appear In untold mill
lions. The schools sometimes are
miles in extent, the fish seemingly be-
ing crowded together so closely as TO
form solid mass. In Florida, parti-
cularly, the first run OF mullet Is
an event OF great Importance Indeed,
IL Is said, that II the announcement Is
made III church that the mullet have
begun to run all the cloquence of the
pastor will not restrain the congre-
CATION. The people win leave the
church en- maage and hurry to the
riverside TO assist in catching the
fish. !
The nftillet Is regarded as one OF
! the finest edible fishes In the Atlantic
waters. In some Of the southern states
Ii Is protected by laws In the spawn
Ing season, tile fish not being allowed
10 be taken Ia nets during the period
when they are supposed 10 be spawn
ing. Opinions differ - TO the time
and place of their spawning and 1t 10
to determine, II possible. these points
that the Fish Commission is conduct
ing Its investigation.
The generally accepted theory IL
hat the mullet spawns at sea- but
this Is contradicted by close observers
Of the habits OF the fish, many OF
whom maintain that the fish spawns
In the creeks adjacent to the ocean,
where II Hes In untold millions for sew
cral days at a time Thus far, the.
experts OF the Fish Commission have
been unable to catch the female mullet
when her eggs are just ripe for spawn
ing and TO catch the male mullet
when his milk will fertilize the eggs
properly If this could be done-and
tho fish culturists OF Inc Commission
believe it may belt Viii be possible
TO hatch artificially the mullet fry,
just as the shad fry ard the fry of
other fish are Matched. To accomplish
this result, the Fish-iIaWk the largest
/ steamer in the service of the Fish
+ Commission, is now at Mosquito Inlet
on the east coast OF Florida and the
experts on board of her are endeavor-
ing to solve the problem which has
! puzzled the Fish Commission for many
years.
/ Ii Is the purpose OF these experts
to take the ripe eggs from the female,
! fertilize them with the milk OF he
male and hatch them artificlally. Once
this is accomplished, tne fry viii be
! deposited in the waters Of the south
coast to add to the gast number OF
mullet already there. The fry will be
protected until they are large enough
to take care OF themselves.
I No firm lii southern waters Is Oh
greater Importance, commercially,
I than the mullet II is highly desirable,
therefore, that the fish be not only
protected, but that its habits be thor
oughly understood. 1t will be great
step forward If the Gsh can be hatch
ed artificially, as this viii prevent its
ultimate extinction as an article Of
food and preserve what is now great
Industry on the South Atlantic coast