Middletown transcript., 1915-06-05
POOR SHAD SEASON
Coming in Much Fewer Numbers
into Delaware River
POLLUTION OF RIVER BLAMED

III ~ years lLC pllSS VI ohNN hDS 80
creased 300 per cent. Why?
Over at New Castle the fishermen
will tell any one who takes the trouble
to AJAX that the reason is simple-the
supply is diminishing. Naturally, the
next question is: Why is the supply di-
minishing?
This time the answer is not so sim
pie. There are several theories. The
first is, of course, the pollution of the
streams in which the shad come to
spawn, which kills the eggs deposited
there. Naturally fish does not like
polluted river When it attempts to
run up a stream and finds the water
filed with strange and disgusting odcrs
the shad will turn back to sea again and
maybe seek another stream.
Another reason given is the temper
ature of the streams. For some cause
or other, it seems the water has been
colder in later years. For instance,
this year the temperature of the Della
ware river has been from 40 to so de-
grees during the spawning season,
while the spawning season, while the
shad apparently likes the water about
from 48 to So degrees.
SHAD A MYSTERIOUS FISH
This has been an exceptionally bad
year for shad. All through the season,
lasting from the beginning of March to
the present time, there have been gaps
when no shad at all could be bought.
At other times the shad was poor and
fish dealers would not guarantee it. 1t
was expensive, too. Ten years ago in
the middle of Delaware shad season,
a good roe shad sold for 40 cents and o
buck for 25 cents. This year fairly
good roe shad cost $1.50. 1t used to be
that family had whole shad, with a
roe for dinner, but this year the aver
age housewife purchased either half
shad or a roe separately.
The shad is a peculiar fish. 1t is
spawned in the spring in one of the
rivers along the Atlantic coast of North
America Then it swims out of the
river and is gone for year. Where it
goes n1body knows, Nobody ever
caught shad at sea. Evidently they
swim deep. Thu year after they are
spawned, however they swim back tc
the river from whence they came, anc
the roe shad lays her eggs there, ther
leaves for unknown haunts again
1t is while the shad are on their an
nual trip that they are caught. They
first appear in the rivers of Florida il
january. By February they are in th'
Carolinas, and around the first o,
March they make their appearance ii
the DelawaIer and the Chesapeake
Later they appear in New England
There used to be immense shad fisher
les alK along the Delaware, with net
stretched half way across the river
supplying million of the delicious fisl
to the markets. Now, however tn
run is not so heavy as formerly.
. SEWAGE DISPOSAL MAY HELP
The pollution of the Delaware ha
killed millions Of eggs in recent years
fewer eggs hatched here of course
fewer shad come back here. Th
towns up the river pour their offal int
the>D elaware and Schuylkill, the cos
regions send down their filth and Phi
adelpha itself adds to the pollution
The oil works are responsible in som
s measure for conditions, too.
To keep the shad, several thing
must be done. First, the streams mus
be make comparatively clear agair
The construction of sewage-disposi
plants in the various cities of the Stat
will help, Some of the towns up /
the Delaware end Schuylkil alread
have constructed these plants. Phi
adelphia is still considering plans fC
its plant which will cost many millions
When this is completed, probably II
shad will come back.
Next, something must be done vii
the oil works. 1t is hard to say whi
this will be. Probably the oil peop
themselves will discover something
keep their product from leaking o,
and covering the surface of the waite
They do not want to lose 1T any mo
than the shad lovers want it to. GOV
the river. However, nothing has be-
done in this connection thus far.
Finally, there is something beil
done, and we'll dcne, to keep up Il
supply of spawn. UP in Torresdal
Pa, the State hatcheries are collectil
spawn and carefully treating it in pu
water-spawn that otherwise might
killed by the pollution. In this Wi
they are Matching millions of little Fl
and raising them until they, are lar
enough to be put out into the rive
These fishiqmediateiy swim to sea al
:.s5 come here next year. If it we
Tor them. prabably there would
ID in the Delaware at ALL
Wantad A Waather Cork