Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-26
WAR RULING HITS
CITY FISH SUPPLY
Trap Order Would Boost
Prices and Menace Mar
ket. Dealers Say
GOING TO WILMINGTON
Congressman Moore Arranges
for Hearing on Alleged
Discrimination
GOING TO WILMINGTON

Philadelphia's food supply Of fish will
be reduced by 37,500,000 pounds in the
next Ave months. If the order of the
War Department eliminating the hshing
traps in the Atlantic Ocean, from lslahd
Beach Coast Guard Station in New
Jersey, to Cape Charles, Virginia, is per
mitted to stand, wholesale fish dealers
said today,
In addition. they said that the order
4 renresents a loss Of 100000 to the
fishermen and is a discrimination against
this CITY in favor Of New York, where
the dealers would be forced TO buy their
bass. porgies, large weak fish and fancy
brands, paying heavy freight and re-
frigerator charges. thus increasing the
cost to the consumer.
The situation was brought to the al
tention Of Congressman J. iaInpto"
Moore bv Henry W. Young, wholesale
dealer of the Reading Terminal Market
Through Mr.. Moores efforts, hearing
will he held tomorrow at the office OF
C,olorel ]. p. JerVey. district engineer
OF the War department. at ''oCN'
in wilmington. Del.
Controlled From Here
According TO Mr.. Young, all OF mo
fishing traps located in the area covered
bv the War Departments order, "hlcn
is dated January lS, are owned or coll
trolled by Philadelphians. twenty-five
traps are located on Five Fathom Bank.
These traps are between six and seven
miles off shore, and it is impossible TO
catch the fancy grade of fish anywhere
within the three-mle limit along the
New Jersey coast. because they thrive
in deep water
Speaking of Five Fathom Bank. Mr..
Young said:
Each trap has a capacity of fifty
barrels of Ash daily. or 10000 pounds
per trap for a total daily catch of go
900 pounds The traps produce 300
600 pounds monthly. If the order is
permitted to stand, 31,J00,00O pounds Of
fish will be DETECTED from this city,
since the season only lasts about five
months.
"The pounds have been operated for
the last five years. Since all of the
equipment was purchased last fall by
the fishermen, 1t means a loss TO them
of about 100000 OF course. YOU
readily understand what the loss in the
food supply will mean to Philadelphia.
Determination Seen
"The War Department order dis
eliminates against this city in favor
of New York. We are unable TO get
these fish anywhere along the Jersey
coast within the area laid down by the
War Department order Consequently.
we would have to pay New York prices
and heavy freight charges to supply the
consumer here"
The reason for the War Department
order is not clear TO the fish dealers.
They point out that bueys are located
at convenient distances from the pounds
and that there are two lightships. five
miles off Five Fathom Bank, to aid
navigation
The fishermen usually sink the piling
and spread the nets about this time in
the year. They are taken up about
December !. So far no nets have been
spread in the area coming under the
order.
A representative delegation headed by
Mr.. Young and including wholesale and
retail, dealers and fishermen who oper.
ate the pounds will attend the hearing
at Wilmington tomorrow.