Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-04-22
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tne coast.
The work is constantly growing. Ten
years ago the number of fish-fry planted
was four hundred and ninety Eight mil
lion four hundred and eighty-eight thou
sand two hundred and sixty-eight, while
in 1908 the product reached the enormous
figure of two billions eight hundred and
Seventy-one millions planted in every
state and territory of the United States, in
river, lake and sea.
In its early days fish-culture was ridi-
culed, but it is now strongly advocated by
both sportsmen and commercial fisher
men, who often make claims for its sue
cess which the bureau would hesitate to
urge. 1t increases the fish supplies of
waters already stocked, and il introduces
others in waters where they were un-
known before. II has refilled exhausted
trout and bass streams, and has maintained
to a large extent the shad and the white
fish, which under poor laws, inefffcently
enforced, would have been sadly depict
ed.
II is difficult in many cases to show abb
solute proofs of the results OF the numer-
Gus plants of eggs and fry, for It's impos-
Sible TO distinguish-when they have
adolescence the hatchery's product from
that of nature; but there are numerous
cases where circumstances leave no room
for doubt.
II is only necessary TO refert to the worn
out trout and bass streams which have
been restocked. Streams originally pro-
ductive, but depleted by excessive fishing,
have been made better than before.
The most inStructing and convincing
exhibits, however, are those in which fish
have been introduced in waters to which
they have not been indigenous. Thee
ceKent bass-fishing of the Potomac basin
is due IL the introduction OF fish from
across the AlleghenieS, and the same ap-
plies to the striped bass, crappies, wall
eyed pike and catfishes which the Bureau
of Fisheries introduced in the same river
in the last two decades, and which now
furnish sport and food to many persons.
The shad also had been the subject OF
governmental Solicitude on the Atlantic
coast, and starting with almost depleted
streams, the Bureau of Fisheries and sew
eral of the states were able to build up
and for years maintain great fishery for
the people. The absence OF proper reg
ulation by the states, however, has re-
suited in destructive and excessive fish
ing and most OF the adult fish are now
taken before they reach the spawning
grounds and become fully matured, so
that it has grown year by year more diff
ficultto secure sufficient eggs forthe hatch
cries. AS a result Of recent wiser regula-
ton in North Carolina, there has been i'm
mediate improvement in the hatchery OPP
erations in that State.
FiSh-culture has shown itself competent
to handle the problems presented, and as
soon as the states show some adequate
appreciation of their duties, the now wan
ing shad supply can be reestabliShed as a
great producer Of wealth.
That hundreds of millions OF Pacific
salmon planted in their native streams as
fry .ettlrn as adult fish is clearly shown by
the capture OF adults which were marked
when liberated few years before. That
the proportion Of these hatchery fry reach
ing maturity is considerable is shown by
the results of the same experiments.
In an article of this scope il is impoSSi-
Bile to mention more than just a few
OF the thirty-five or forty species regularly
hatched by the Bureau OF Fisheries, and
nothing at all can be said ofthe interesting
experimental and practical work done
with oysters, clans and mussels, HOLSTERS
and crabs, turtles, tenapin and sponges,
or OF the study and treatment OF the dis
cases OF fish, or Of the many other pro-
blems confronting those interested IN the
improvement of the fisheries. Enough
has been said, however, to show that fish
culture is of no mean value IN the making
of the nations wealth.
There have been failures, many ofthem,
but on the whole they have been fewer
than the successes. The field still open
is broad and attractive. Many problems
are yet to be solved and many successes
to be achieved, not the least OF which may
well be the demonstration to the farmer
that his waste pond and idle creek, his
acre or two OF worthless swamp, may at
slight expense be made to yield avalue in
food products greater than from the same
number of acres Of his best-tilled and rich