Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-26
FISHING PROSPECTS
NOT ENCOURAGING
Due to High Prices OF Material
and Pollution In the
River.

Special Correspondents OF livery Evening
Delaware City, Jan. 26.--Accordi G TO
nresent Indications, there will not be
new shad fishing net on the river the
corning season. The price OF the twine
remains at 81 a pound, as compared with
81 40 four year1 ago and many fishermen
declare that they will either use their old
nets or not fish at all, ~ they claim that
the .had fishing has become an uncertain
tv ANYWAY tho past four or i've Year,,
Each year along about this time the
6sharnen prepare for the hanging IN
Of their nets, but this will not take place.
These fishermen who have old nets which
can be used will start getting them IN
shape in = few weeks, but there will not
be q pound OF Irvine bought by fishermen
of this place at tho existing prices, 30
some SAY.
As the nets have been 20 badly affect
ed the past year or two by the pollution,
OH the river, there are very few IN gooo
shape for fishing. The tar substance when
it>struck the nets rotted them and entire :
sections of Is and 20 fathoms length had
"a bs cut ont in the center of a net. As a
result of the ravages Of the pollution, 1t "a
cx,ectcd that about six Or eight nets
viii be- used by fishermen from this place;
In former wears there were ~ many as 81
boats which fished from here, while the
indica lions this season aro that there
will not be over FIVE OF six. The Same pro-
portion to large extent prevails At the
other fishing grounds on the delaware
shore. at Port Penn, Duck Creek and
at New Castle.
The prospects for the herring fishing
are affording much conjecture. Fifteen
wears ago this place was one OF the best
Known centers in the United States for
herring fishing. Last season there was
very small catch, not enough 10 attract
attention. Fifteen years ago, oAtch OF
1000, 900 herring In q SINGLE season Was
nothing unusual. Last year, ut the most,
the total catch did not exceed 1OO,NO
The fishermen offer various reasons for
the falling OFF in the catch. One reason
sdvanced for the decrease IN the catch
the past year is that As result ot the
oresk in the river bank large number OF
the fish entered the river meadows below
ser- and did not reach the mouth of the
locks, where in past years they sought
the fresh water Of the canal.
Anin all, the fishermen Of this section
are not overly enthusiastic about the
prospects. During the past few years,
tie catch has been small and the prices
have not been II proportion - the general
cost of living snd the cost OF the fishing
equipment, which was greatly affected
BY the incrsseia the price of oils, gasoline,
PANT and Of securing help.
The only ray OF hope on the horizon
is the sturgeon fishing season. Last year
WAS the best for 90 years and the fisher.
men declare that there ia every reason &c
believe that the coming season viii be ~
GOOD. The catch last season was the big
gest surprise Of all, not only 60 the fisher
men, but to people who had been interest
ed q and had followed the sturgeon his
tory The fishermen were unable 10 account
for tho unusual catch. When few started
making good catches, others dug ou
nses which had not been used for Is year.
md in theocunse Of few weeks had caugn.
enough 70 pay for their nets. One mar
landed six one day. while single stur
Eeon netting a. much as 5000 were caught
1t frequent intervals during the season
In its entirety there were more hsh caught
during the last season than for the pas
20 years. About 25 years ago Delxwarv
City was the best-l1nown sturgeon fish
ing center on the Atlantic coast.
Some interests are trying 20 secure
closed season for f;ve-year period 70
this fishing Owing 20 the small numbe
caught durinS the past Is years, only
few boats tried their luck.