Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-03-15

There seems to be a great real
of MISREPRESENTATION regarding the In
come of the pound net fishermen
along the Jersey shore. While we
cannot speak for those who have
their nets set of the coast, we be-
lieve those men will average about
the same as the fishermen who con-
fine their operations to bays and In
lets. We read a great deal about
the great amount of fish being taken
from the waters and this is figured
up at the market prices, showing
what fish are worth. The conclusion
is at once reached that this money
all goes to the pound fishermen.
Here is where those who discuss the
matter make their mistake.
Let those who would investigate
this matter thoroughly, make a visit
along the south shore of the Raritan
bay and interview the men living at
such places as Bedford, keansburg,
Port Monmouth and other fishing
towns in hat vicinity. If, after
paying expenses for the years oper-
ations, these fishermen can clear
5000 to $1,000 for their own profit,
they have had an exceptionally good
average income of these men is not
more than seven or eight hundred
dollars a year and their helpers and
employees receive even less They
have their nets set in the lower bay
and are able to supply the markets
in New York and other cities In this
vicinity Visit the shore at any time
when these boats come in after
lifting the nets and you will find
that the fishermen are glad to sell
at one and one-half to two cents a
pound. In the city markets we pay
from ten to fourteen cents a pound,
which shows the enormous profit of
the middle man and the retailer.
Thus 1t is seer that the fishermen
are not the ones who benefit by the
high price of fish and any tax that
should be placed on their pounds
under present conditions would
practically put them out of business.
There have been seasons along the
Raritan bay when at the close the
fishermen have found themselves in
debt instead OF having any surplus
whatever. When 1t is realized the
amount of money invested La theseI
nets and outfits; that 1T Is absolutely b
to get any insurance ON
his property; that a boat may swept
through the nets any night doing q /
great deal OF damage, the loss of !
Ehfch must be met entirely by the
fishermen. 1t is seen what these men
are up against. Then there are t
to be commended with, all of
make the pound net industry
q very risky business. The markets
are depending upon this industry to
keep them supplied with fish and to
tax it out of existence would only
tend to increase the price of fish.
The argument Is advanced that
the pound nets destroy the fish and
drive them from the water. An hon
est Investigation will prove that this
is not true. We hear a great deal
about the disappearance of the shad.
the same time our fresh water
streams are being stocked with carp
at state expense. The fishermen
know that these carp like nothing
better for food than shad roe. AS ]
the shad must go into the fresh
water for propagation. the carp
readily the roe as fast as
it is left by the shad to be Matched
out. When one compares the num-
Der Of eggs In a single shad roe with
the number of shad caught in a sea-
son and then realize how many shad
|roes there are. 1t becomes evident
that seme such agency as the carp
Is working to destroy the fish as
their number could never be dimin-
ished by the fishermen alone.
But there is another way In which
the fish are being destroyed. We
all know that big fish live upon
smaller fish. We also know that
sharks are frequently caught in these
waters and. incidentally, do a great
deal Of damage to the pound nets IN
question. A large shark which was