New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-12
SHAD BECOMING SCARCE.
determination of the Toothsome
Fish Non in Progress.
rFum The Tribune Bureau.I


che ever increasing demand Of the public for
sh2d. and more particularly for shad roe, and
kso energetic have been the fishermen In their at
ftempts to meet that demand that with the OMEN
tng Of the shad season this week in the Potomac
there Is row after row Of fish traps and nets set
FOR miles beyond the mouth Of that stream and
the fish, in its attempt TO reach fresh water
that Il may reproduce itself. will have a greater
task than the threading of an Oriental labyrinth
Millions Of them viii be caught and their shawn
VIII 50 to the tickling Of the parnpered paIata
Of the epicuTe who viii thoughtlessy devour
hundreds Of thousands Of embryo fishes that
eventually might have fed rnultitudes The b,,
rcau Of fisheries. in its effort 10 counteract tba
rapacity Of the consumer and the fisherman ora
prevent the complete determination of the shad
viii probably encounter difficulties this vear
greater than ever faced before
The figures for shad propagation show that
there was time when the bureau was able tn
capture as high as 2100D00o0 eggs in the Sus
eueha1na River. as opposed TO SONao0o last
year On the Delaware River. where the oa+cb
has gone as high as 115O00OOO it last wear fell
below 5OaOo0 while on the Potomac it fell from
6Aoo9oO0 TO 100000, Similar conditions ex
Isl III all the streams along the coast and are
growing rapidly worse.
This condition is due NOT m tho ,.- -.
10
bureau but TO the improved methods at pres
ent used by fishermen in CO pturing tho 6sb Tho
ffad always spawn in fresh water and T.,
ApTh ana Hay they come into the rivers and
their tributaries in search OF spawning grounds
Al other seasons of the year they live in the
open waters OF the ocean. In the spawning sea-
son they were known 10 be SO plentiful years
ago in the Potomac and tributaries of the Ches-
speake that it was with difficulty that boat
could be pushed among them CAPTAIN Holm
Smith found them when. in early jamestown
days he pushed small boat up the Potomac
TO q waterfall above Washington which stopped
their advance. His report Of this finding was
one OF the early wonders of America that was
carried back TO England.
This running" OF the fish arises from the fact
that their eggs are rendered worthless if they
come in contact with salt water. the instinct of
the fish causes them TO seek the inland streams
and rs q consequence in the spawning season
these streams are alive with them when they are |
not interfeTed with The knowledge Of these
facts the part OF the fishermen is however |
the downfall and the doom of the shad, for the |
fishermen have taken advantage of the annual |
pilgrimage to fresh water, and have set their
nets and traps accordingly, and when the fish |
start for fresh water they are brought into cap
tiVity and quickly transported TO market
This fact was not in the beginning of the
oTeration OF the bureau of fisheries such a ma
teTial disadvantage. for the fishermen had not |
then gone beyond the mouths of the rivers, and
great numbers OF the fish caught spawned while
In captivity and the spawn was artifcially
hatched and used in restocking the streams
But now this process is not possible, for the
reason that the nets are placed far beyond the
mouths Of the rivers. and if the fish are caught
and held in captivity. in the mean time spawn
ing, the spawn Immediately comes in contact
with salt water which means the death Of the
life germ in the egg. The fishermen who for
merry set their seines in the waters Of the !
Streams have found that more enterprising fish
egrnen have gone sJil further down and are |
catching the fish ahead Of them. This has led .
the first fishermen to go ahead Of the second !
and the process has continued until they have
got far 10 sea il is possible TO set q net
For miles beyond the point where the Potomac
opens OH into the each wing Of its widen
ing mouth is skirted by one line after another
Of traps Beginning with shore. a long wing
Of net VIII reach out, intended to stop the fish
Is IL follows the shore in search of fresh water /
and guide il into the trap at its end which il !
enters q mouse enters the ordinary trap and
As unable find