Evening journal., 1915-02-23
NAKINCEFFORTS FOR
EMBARRASSING Law
Delaware Commission Meets
For Purpose of Getting
Views of Fishermen
PLAN TO REGULATE
STURGEON CATCHING

Il
Special to The EVENING JOURNAL. !
STATE HOUSE, DOVER. Del, Feb
23.-William S. Hilles and Joseph Il. |
King, of New Castle, and Captain
John p. LefsWe. of Dover, Commits
sioners on the part of Delaware to
confer with like commission on the
part of New Jersey to amend the uni
form fishing laws for the two States
on the Delaware River and Bay, met
/ this morning in the State Armory with
about fifty fishermen present to eX-
/ press their views as TO notifications
and to discuss amendments recon-
mended by the New Jersey fisher
men at meeting yesterday.
Mr. Hilles asked for free and full
discussion of the fishing industry. size
OF nets, etc. He called attention 10
two most important things to be con-
\ sidered. that of the proper oppor-
Y tunities and protection for Delaware
fishermen, and the future of the fish
as well as the industry. He said
I preservation of the fish industry is
most important
The first law discussed was that
regulating taking of sturgeon. This
3, Mr.. Hilles said, had been a most inn
portant industry in Delaware, but for
3 some reason had fallen off. Mr.. Hilles
said the New Jersey Commissioners
had recommended that catching of
sturgeon less than five feet long be
prohibited, while Delaware fishermen
suggested four and one-half feet
sturgeon as the limit The present
law provides that no sturgeon under
six feet long can be taken legally. A
thirteen-inch mesh also was recon-
mended
John Yearsley OF Delaware City,
said five feet in length for sturgeon
would be agreeable to the Delaware
fishermen, as well as the thirteen-inch
mesh.
Representative Frederick d. Bend
Ter also said that size limit for stur-
geon and mesh would be satisfactory
! to Delaware fishermen.
The open season for sturgeon also
/, was discussed, il being the concensus
! OF opinion that the open season
. should be from March 1 to June 30.
Mr.. Hilles stated that the New Jer-
sey Commission had recommended the
close of the season for shad fishing
on June 1, instead of June 5, as al
present; that five and one-Quartel
: mesh be used, and that fishing be
allowed up to o'clock Saturday af
. ternoons rather than at II o'clock, as
at present.
AS to the proposed size of mesh
n there was a difference of opinion.
Fishermen up the river said that be
g cause Of a difference in tides, the net
n would necessarily have to differ Feel
!. ing OF the Delaware fishermen as eX
+ pressed was that no limit be made a
d to size Of the net. but as to the dat
d and time of fishing all we're agreeable
e Mr.. Hilles spoke of the falling off G
6 the shad industry and hoped tina
n nothing would be done to eXterminat
le tnat most palatable fish.
y Charles Reed. of Slaughter Neck SUI
g gested that if the commission could stC
canning factories from dumping oil .nt
.e streams where the shad spawn, the sha
8: could he saved. and would multiply
20 Archie Mclain. of Smyrna, an
Joseph II. Millman, of Milford, agree
with Mr. Reed and said oilal from .;
houses also is destructive to shad as we
as other fish.
Captain Lefevre called attention to
law on the statute books prohibiting
20 struction of fish in river and bay, Dl
nothing to prevent contamination in II
tributaries. Such bill is now pcndii
30 in the Legislature providing pcnalti
for destruction of fish by such polluti'
of streams, he said.
Rock fish we're next discussed, Ne
Jersey suggesting that no rock ds
weighing less than twenty pounds
E' longer than ten inches in length
g caught and that a closed season
Id established from November. Is
is March I.
iN Some of the fishermen opposed Il
n closed season, but il was final
nc agreed that a closed season fro
ne April 1 to September /, would be sa
De isfactory. The other recommend
ey tions we're also agreed TO-.
Mr.. Hilles called attention to :
many small fish being found de;
along shore. after the hauling of sein
ng which he asserted unjust and unfa
er and would soon deplete food fish.
ns ' AS to trout, the opinion was G
~ pressed that trout less than ten inch
~. long should be thrown back into q
g water. Size of the net also caus
=. lengthy discussion, it being point
~ out that with too small a net hundre
,iu Of fish would be destroyed, as In pu
~ ing in the seine, the smaller fish wou
10 become enmeshed in the net. Del
wares law allows a net of two a
one-half inches.
Mr.. Hilles asked II IT was not pos
,i S BILE to dump out of the net
nS lS smaller fish, This. IL was contend
~ by some fishermen. would be imp'
rI, BILE, as by the time the assortment "
nd made. the fish would die.
M Il was suggested that June be
90 out for trout fishing as il was duri
led that month that many of the small
le- fish were caught. The hearing "
be continued this afternoon.
Before ending their hearing as
IN. notifications in the fishing laws, Co
he missioners Hilles, King and LeFe'
err this afternoon heard the views
ra- fishermen as TO regulation of the me
The haden fishing business on the bay
ne The objection has been made Il
quantities of food fish are taken W
the menhaden in the nets in De
ware bay. but this was denied by 81
ing oral men from I4ewes, who are int
aN..aI