The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-25
IN BEHALF oF'OUR FISHERMEN

A correspondent at Hatteras in rhe
Elizabeth City Economist states thai
the Dare county fishermen are looking
forward to the greatest catch of sha(
this season for many years ana ar
preparing for greatly increased sup,
ments over those of the past few sea
plentiful supply of this fine fish is due
TO the unusual weather conditions
which have prevailed during the
months of December and January,
With all this fine outlook for the
fishermen it can be said that condi
tons would be still more promising
had the state better laws for protecting
the fish industry in eastern waters
Or We're the laws we now ave on that
subject rigidly enforced.
A few days ago The Messenger
quoted from The Journal, OF New Bern,
an accOunt Of the sale at the water
front of that city of twenty five tons
of young table fish for fifty dollars,
which, had the fish been allowed 70
reach their full growth, would have
been worth from one thousand to W.
thousand dollars. These twenty-five
tons of fish were scooped out of the
waters of eastern Carolina by men who
were seining for unedible fish where
from TO procure oil, using the refuse
for fertilizer purposes. These men
f1shed with nets Of such small mesh
that they caught and destroyed such
fish as trout, spots, Dream, etc, Of such
small size that they could not be sold
for table use while they were SEEMING
for menhaden and other fish contain
ing Il greater percentage Of oil.
If there is no law in this state against
such Wanton destruction Of marketable
fish there ought to be, and if such
law does exist it should be enforced.
But to get back to the fishermen's |
prospects OF a good shad catch AS
bright as those prospects are they
would be much brighter we're the young
Shad better protected in those waters. |
That large numbers Of them are de-
strOyed before reaching a marketa0io |
size is shown by this article we take
from the New Bern Journal:
Another instance of this wanton net
destruction. Last Tuesday. CAPTAIN
Harper took out of a pound net at the
OF Neuse river, 10 shad, each
one half the size of a herring. These
shad may have been those planted by
he government, which caught before
they reached the sea, are destroyed
without being grown of merchant-
lble value. and about six Shad
nave come to the market his season.
If a single pound net has caught 10
IF these small shad, what must be the
destruction caused by the hundreds
Of nets which fill every water course
n eastern Carolina.
Does not his show a state Of affairs
hat should be remedied? Because OF
he increasing scarcity of shad in our
waters the government has gone to iin-
nense expense and trouble to restOck
1Vers and sounds from its hatcheries. ! !
is the use of doing this if the
tate does not protect the young iisn.
ut allows them to be destroyed by ,
Tholesale while they are still too sD,all
o be put on the market? The govern :
puts the shad fry in the rivers
nd they are destroyed before hey
reach the ocean where they 90 to :
tain their full size. This is a crying .
vii and n which the extensive fish =
lg industry of eastern North Carolina =
emands should be remedied. 4
We hope the present legislature will
'ok into this matter and grant the ;.
relief. Vast sums of money are 4
elng lost to our people by the name :
1 which young fish are being de- 1
'