The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-10-02
PROTECTION OF MARYLAND FISH.
Also For A L .rger supply of Oysters
Discussed AT Washington.

Steps looking to the better protection
of MARYLAND fish and oysters, as well as
their more scientific propagation and
distribution will be taken at a confer
ence in Washington today called by the
Bureau of Fisheries of the National
Government and other federal officials
interested in the industries.
Maryland will be represented by Gov
ernOr Goldsborough, Fish Commas
sioners Phillips and Smith, and Com
mander Howard, of the oyster police
force. Senators Jackson and Smith and
Maryland members of the House of Re-
representatives. have also been invited to
attend. Virginia will be represented
at the conference by Governor Mann,
the State officials to whom is entrusted
the management of its fish and oyster
industries and the Senators and Con-
gressmen from the state.
The primary object of the conference
is to arrive at an understanding between
Maryland and Virginia for the propaga-
ton and better protection of fish and
oysters in the Potomac River and Ches-
apeake Bay. Complaint has been made
from time to time that Potomac River
oysters have been polluted by sewerage
from Washington. Steps will be taken
to guard against this pollution.
Another cause of complaint is a de-
crease in fish in the Chesapeake Bay
and its tributaries because of pollution
due to refuse from fertilizer and other
factories. This menace to the fish
supply of the bay is said to be growing
more serious each year.
The conference among other things
will discuss the need of uniform fishing
laws Tor Maryland and Virginia, as far
as the Chesapeake Bay is concerned.
The Bureau of Fisheries has more
than passive interest in the preserva-
ton of the purity of Maryland waters.
In the Susquehanna river the govern
ment owns and operates a large fish
hatchery where continued usefulness
will depend upon the integrity of the
waters of the state. The bureau is
anxious to extend all aid possible to
MARYLAND.
The regulation of fish nets, fishing
seasons and of other kindred subjects
bearing on the fishing industry may also
come up for discussion and later for
action by the state and federal lawmak-
ing bodies. Complaint has been loud
and frequent against fishing weirs and
nets, which extend more than half way
across the Chesapeake Bay below
Sharps Island. Fishermen along the
shores of the Upper Bay and tributaries
claim that shad, herring and other fish
are trapped in great quantities before
they reach the Upper Bay. Equal
distribution is thus made impossible.
The fishing equipment complained of is
under the jurisdiction of the federal
government 1t has been said that
that equipment interferes with naviga-
ton.
The governments interests in the
fish industries of Maryland lies chiefly
IN the protection of spawn.
: The most striking part of the fish cul-
tural work of the national and state
governments is that, with the exception
of very small percentage, the yearly
outputs are Matched from eggs or spawn
which in the natural course of events
would have been entirely lost or of
which the number saved would have
been extremely small. Certainly not
over 10 per cent. would ever have had
chance for successful incubation. Hence
the national and state governments are
engaged in the useful task of replenish-
ing the waters with valuable aqua ic
animal life and doing it chiefly out of
the surplus or so.called waste which
nature designed for wise purposes be-
fore man became disturbing factor
with his need for food.
Stupendous is the yearly loss of fish
spawn naturally deposited, ungathered
and unmatched by the governments.
Much of it is unfertilized, more is
devoured by fishes and other water
creatures. Vast quantities could be
saved and the water more rapidly re-
plenished if the fish authorities had
greater facilities. Baltimore American
of Sept. "a.