The Washington herald., 1914-05-25
Opportunity for Real Conservation.

Scarcely householder in Washington this spring,
it may be safely said failed to be impressed with the
scarcity and consequent increased price OF the delicious
Potomac shad and toothsome herring Many OF them,
too have observed that season after season the hsh
supply is dwindng gradually and realized that at the
rate the best of the fish taken in nearby waters
will before many years have become luxury instead
of staple food within the reach of every family
But how many people in the cities enjoying the bene-
fits of the fish yield of the Potomac River and Chesa
peake Bay know that one of the chief reasons for
its steady decline is the fact that tons and tons OF
fish are taken annually from these waters and used
in the manufacture of fertilizer and oil.
Astounding revelations of the really criminal raw
ages being made upon this priceless natural food
supply were made recently by Representative J..
Charles Linthcum, of Baltimore, Md, IN an address
before the annual convention of the National Asso-
ciaton of Shellfsl Commissioners at Atlantic CITY,
Mr. Linthicum is the author of bills pending
in Congress to conserve the countrys fish supply by
Federal control In his Atlfntic City address, re-
ferring to the taking of fish for fertilizer purposes he
said:
Under this monopoly they able to purchase
herring for less than they are offered Others and m
deed so completely do the fertilizer boats control the
market that the fishermen are compelled to decline to
sell their fish to individual consumers to boats sent
out BY the packing houses who wish to purchase and
pack for food purposes One instance was developed
at the hearing where representatives of hshpack-
ing house were refused fish by the fishermen although
they offered IS cents per barrel than was being
paid these same fishermen by the fertilizer boats
= The fish-fertizer factories generally un-
able to secure sufficient fish for their purposes They
are, therefore always willing purchasers. No mat
ter what the state of the market the fertilizer boats
Eare usually prompt purchasers at their fixed prices
= The use of food fish for fertilizer purposes
| has resulted in intense fishing, increase in the
number of line nets and their extension farther into
the water with the consequent effect of impeding
the fish in their mgrations up the river This whole
sale taking has been felt with severity the upper
waters.
] Mr.. Linthicum gave also some startling figures
showing the decline in the shad and herring supply
In 1000 the catch of shad in the State of Virginia
nearly 100000 pounds, while in 1913 it was less
than 100000 pounds In Maryland, in 1890 the
catch was over 100000 pounds; in 1900 it was re-
dueed to little 100000 pounds, while in IoIz
the catch was less than 100000 pounds. In othei
words, during period of twenty-five years the catch
fell off to 100000 pounds.
That such wanton destruction of food, in the pres
ent of high prices is permitted continue unde
protection of the law almost unbelievable Surel,
the makers of law will not sit calmly in Legislative
Ihalls and permit traffic to continue that can onl,
mean the ultimate extinction of fish species tha
was once so abundant in our markets