The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-10-02
TEST OF FOOD FISH,
Danube Sturgeon to Be Imported
For Home Waters.
NATIVE VARIETY NEARLY GONE

Government to Aid the Undertaking.
Commissioner Bowers of the United
States fish commission at Washington
has announced that there is a strong
probability that the famous Danube
sturgeon will be successfully intro
duced I'm the waters of the United
States.
Until a few years g the rivers and
bays of the middle Atlantic states con-
taine great quantities Of sturgeon,
but because of inadequate laws for
their protection and the ruthless man
ner Of fishing for them that valuable
fish has been practically exterminated.
The fish commission has made dill
gent efforts to save the sturgeon and
has had its experts On the Delaware.
where the sturgeon was once most
abundant and other waters where they
were formerly found in an effort TO
catch a male and a female in order
that the eggs might be taken and
hatched. Notwithstanding their ear
nest efforts and the expenditure Of not
less Than $1,000 a year for three years
for that purpose they were unsuccess-
full.
The announcement of Commissioner
Bowers that 1t is probable American
waters may again TEEN with sturgeon
has beer made possible by the coop
Grafton of Horace G.. Knowles. until
recently the American minister to Rou
mania. Servia and Bulgaria. now ac-
credited TO Nicaragua.
The pleasant relations Minister
Knowles enjoyed with the Roumanian
government enabled him before leav-
ing Roumania TO arrange with the
officials of that country to send to the
United States a large quantity of
Danube sturgeon fry: also several
large cans of the fry of ~sterlet, another
very valuable Danube fish. which is
considered the most delicious of all
European fish
Minister Knowles says he is inter
ested in the introduction of these TWO
important food fish to American wa
tiers because his Investigations con
vince him they will thrive In the
United States. The s%terlet. he says.
is very prolific and hardy and will. If
properly protected until well started.
take the place of not only shad. which
Is getting scarcer every year. but the
other fish that are growing less plen-
tiful.
These two Danube fish are particu-
larry valuable because they are not a
season fish like the shad. but run in
the waters of their habitat throughout
the year. The Danube sturgeon grows
4tl nn1 AfA
to o pound fish are frequently caught
An o pound fish will give about loo
pounds of caviare. and fresh ~caviare
sells in New York and the European
cities for from 81 to SO a pound
The caviare from the Danube stur-
geon Is considered the finest in the
world. Both the sturgeon and the ster-
let are mos" abundant in the Rouma-
MAN part OF the Danube. and in east
ern and southeastern Roumania they
are the principal o of the people.
Through the arrangements made 10y
Minister Knowles there will be shipped
from Roumania a large number OF
twenty gallon cans containing millions
of young sturgeon and ~sterlet. Without
any expense to the United States these
cans of fish will be delivered al
Bremen or Hamburg to a representa-
tive of the United States fish com
mission. wto will take charge OF them
and bring them on one of the fast X
press teamers to New York. The
young fish Will then be sent ia the
nearest hatchery II there will be
cared for until they have recovered
from their 1000 mile voyage and are
in condition to be turned into the Hud
son.. DeIa ware. S~usqueRanna and Po-
tomac rivers.
The fish commission is deeply inter
| ested in this experiment. and II is the
| opinion of Commissioner Bowers that
the chances are decidedly in favor OF
Its being successful.
Minister Knowles says:
There are few matters connected
with our country's food supply mors
important than that of our fish produc
| ton. When Ii Is considered that b.,
| reason OF the increase of our popula
| ton the demand is increased and tina
| with the gradual and constant falling
of Of the catch of all kinds of fish
| the supply is lessened. IL is one Of tn,
serious problems hat confront ouI
| country. A plentiful supply of fisI
! during all eason OF the year Is one
Of the greatest blessings our or an.
country car have.
Meats ann sell for high prices
when fish Is plentiful n cheap. The
best and surest protection the peopls
can have against the meat trust is t.
have a certain and abundant supply O
fish. 1t is a great economical question
and il is no wolsder our government
Is giving such sejious attention to It,
$50 many and vast are our waters
rivers. lakes and bays-that- onc'
stocked with suitable fish and theI
properly protected by law against tn
discriminating methods of the RUTHLESS
and improvident fishermen. the Unitet
States should have a larger and bette