The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1913-10-03
DEPICTING Or BAY FISH.
The Decrease of Food Fish in the
Chesapeake Is Caused By Fertilizer
Fishermen.

Fishermen.
Unless the authorities Of Mary.aa-
and Of Virginia cooperate with the
federal government, can provide Ell
fective means for the adequate pro-
lection OF the fish In Chesapeake bay
and It's tributaries, including thu Po-
tomae river. by the rigid enforcement
OF existing laws and regulations gov
erning the placing Of fish nets and
traps IN those waters and. indeed, bJ
even additional legislation. the fish
ers Industry of these waters are
doomed. This is the opinion OF the
engineers In charge OF public works
In the waters of the Chesapeake Bay
who, At the instance OF Secretary Of
Commerce Redfield. made special In
yestIgations Of the laws and regula-
tions governing the placing Of fish netz
In these waters. In their reports
these officers agree that the decrease
In the number Of fish in Chesapeake
Bay Is due to the excessive SEEMING
and destruction of fish by the fertilizer
factories" According to the reports
the only remedy IL the enactment Of
a Law by the legislature which will
prevent the taking Of fish from the
waters of Chesapeake Bay and tribu-
taries for other purposes than food
and prohibiting their use % fertil.
izer.. The report says:
THE most probable cause OF the
diminishing annual catch Of fish IN
the upper waters would appear TO be
the excessive amount caught In the
lower part Of Chesapeake Bay. The
shores OF the bay itself and most oi
it's tributaries are almost completely
lined with fish stakes. which extend
far out from the shore, and besldes
these, there are boats fishing With
seine, so that II Is almost wonderful
that any fish at all escape to reach
the tributaries.
1T is believed that the cause foi
the diminished run Of fish At this sea.
son Is due to the excessive number o.
nets being placed ut the mouth OF Ih9
streams, allowing only space enough
for the steamboats, and other traffic
to pass.
Another cause for the scarcity d
the run of fish Is that there are II OF
13 fisheries IN the tributaries of Cheaa.
peake Bay on the west side. between
the mouth Of the Potomac river and
Ah1HN a.
supposed to confine their catch &c
menhadeu. which are converted Int
fish oil and scrap, but II has been The
observation Of this Office that they dc
not discriminate between menhadef
fish and food fish. IN the spring large
quantities Of herring are converted
into oil and scrap. and during the sea
son any school of fish that Is sighted
by the boats is caught W by nets
regardless Of species. From records
of this office one Of these fisheries
catches annually about $4,000 tons o
fish. and has In operation sever
steamers engaged IN fishing A day
catch of one of these steamers OF I0G
20 200 tons Of fish Is not unusual I
these figures OF $4,000 tons of fish ant
seven boats should be multiplied b,
the number of fishing establishment
in the district, 10. Il would probably
give the total catch of fish for a sea
son. so II can be readily understood
why the run of fish this season "a
small 1t Is expected, II these eondi
lions continue, that the run each Hea
son will be reduced accordingly.
THE remedy for present condition.
appears to be with the States o
Maryland and Virginia. Il the legis
latnreB of these states should enac
laws prohibiting fisheries and fertil
izer factories In the states, and re
quirIng the men that use trap nets u
pay license for that privilege. III
revenue from these licenses would IN
able the states to patrol the water
and control the industry IS they d
nov with oysterlng and oyHte
grounds"