Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-08-15

eudopIeuronectes DlgnabIlls Mas
queradlng as His Distant and More
Distinguished Relative SoIea vui-
earIs-BIg Work Done by Federal
Bureau In Reseulng Food Fishes
Along Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.
Many a Washington family Is enjoy
ing an agreeable fish sold to them as
genuine English sole. The wholesale
dealers get 1t from New York. The
story In Washington market goes to
the effect that this fish, having been
driven from the North sea by the
racket of war and exploding mines,
has come to America and Is now being
extensively caught along our eastern
shores.
Government ichthyologists smile and
say there never has been any solea
vulgaris, or European sole, In Ameri-
can waters and very little at any time
on our tables-none at all Of late
years. They suspect that the pseudo
pleuronectes dlgnabilis, common
founder taken off the Georges Banks
from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia, is
masquerading as his distant and more
distinguished relative. Or II may be
that a fiat fish with longer name
glytocephalus cynoglossus-is the i'm
personatOr.
Massachusetts, fishermen have been
catching during the present year, as
they did last year for the first time in
commercial quantities, this last fish,
which they call sole or gray sole. The
species has been identified as the craig
fiuke or pole, or deep sea founder. 1t is
found off both shores of the Atlantic
ocean as far south as Delaware bay
and Ireland and In deep water. 1t
was first caught here in 1877 In Mas
sachusetts bay. 1t is an excellent food
fish, but 1t is nothing like the English
sole.
The "lemon sole" of European wa
tiers Is the true sole, and Is never
found on this side Of the Atlantic.
The fish Of America most nearly re-
lated to 1t In appearance, but not in
flavor, is q species of sole which Is
not eaten by man. It's common name
is "hog choker," bestowed because 1t
often sticks In the threats Of swine
that feed upon 1t in shallow pools left
by the recession Of the tides. The sale
Of this fish In market being out Of the
question, the experts say that 1t must
be common American summer founder
that is being misrepresented to house
wives and appearing on menus as filet
de sole.
RescuIng Native Food Fishes.
Little is known in the East of the
big work being done by the bureau Of
fisheries In rescuing food fishes along
the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.
The states of Minnesota, Iowa, Wiscon-
sin and Illinois are particularly inter-
ested and are cooperating In the
work, which extends down to Louis
lana. Every year the two great
streams overflow and the floods reced-
Ing leave millions of fine young fish to
perish beyond the banks In the pockets
or pools that soon dry up.
Until recently no attention was paid
to this waste. In the fiscal year Of
1917 more than 100000 fish were re-
turned to the rivers or put into brooks
or nearby lakes; In 1918 the number
was 26,0O0,000; in 1919 1t reached 55,-
100000. and up to July 1 this year 1t
was close to 10O,000,OOO. Remote
states are asking for a supply and the
gain in the use of fish for food is
marked all through the middle West.
Hundreds OF thousands of black
bass, pike and perch, and millions of
carp, crappies, catfish and buffalo fish
are yearly saved to restock the big
rivers and grow up In the ponds, lakes
and streams for miles around.
Methods Of Saving Fish.
The rescue work is done In two
ways. Where possible bitches are dug
from the pools and the stranded fish
drained back to the rivers. BY far the
greater number are caught In nets,
emptled into buckets and restored to
their native waters or shipped to dis
tant places needing them. The total
cost to the government is about 5000
year.
The Winona County Fisherman's
association of Minnesota reports that
the good effects are noted In improved
fishing both for market and for sport.
1t is held that, assuming that If half
Of the fish rescued last year reach a
pound In weight, there have been
saved 100000 pounds Of excellent
food.
This year the rescue OF land-locked
fish will be conducted on q much en-
larged scale. Twelve crews Of men
will be at work. The season begins on
August 1. The government will have
entire charge, the state of Minnesota
having agreed to cooperate, with head
quarters at the Homer station, which
will cover the entire district between
Prescott and Sabula, Iowa. The fore
cast is that In the next few months
100000 fish will be saved In this
territory and half that number In the
districts below.