The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-04-07
CAM. MORRISON FAVORS
HELP FOR FISH INDUSTRY
Out of Governors Trip Over Sounds With State
Fisheries Commission Board May Come
Important Legislation

the next session OF the GelletdI
Assembly asking for an appro-
nriation of $4,000 for restock-
ing the depleted oyster. beds OF
Pamlico Sound and its estuaries.
The North Carolina Fisheries
Commission Board has invited
DR.. H. F. Moore, U. S, Commis-
sioner OF Fisheries to meet with
the Board at Wilmington, n. c.
next Wednesday, April II, to
confer with the Board in regard
to re-opening certain inlets on
the North Carolina coast to
make the inland waters of North
Carolina more accessible. to
anadromouS FISH.
Plans are on foot to secure
the propagation of fish for
stocking the rivers, ponds and
lakes of North Carolina and for
better policing of the fish and
oyster industry of Eastern North
Carolina.
The foregoing are some of the
things that came out of a meet
ing of the North Carolina Fish
cries Commission Board last
week on a cruise over the
Sounds with Governor Morrison
himself. To impress upon the
Budget Committee of the Gen
eral Assembly the reasonable
ness OF appropriating certain
sums for the advancement of the
fish and oyster industry, Gov
ernor Morrison will invite the
Budget Committee to go over
. tie ground with him this sum-
me- and see what the Governor
himself has seen.
Morrison ThorOIy Enthused
Stepping ashore at Morehead City
Thursday afternoon after a three-day
ror. Of inspection of the inland water
fisheries of Eastern North Carolina,
Governor Cameron Morrison told the
Stare Fisheries Commission Board that
D.. would back the commission in any
prlricable program for the restoration
af North Cardinals fish and ShelliSh
.u'.>-ry. And if it is humanity possible
tr -h, waters Of North Carolina to be
r..ui>hed with fish and oysters Gov
.-..- Morrison is for il.
Wien the Governor launched his live
..-.a-. campaign a few weeks ago he
..."-.- IF fish in connection with the
...E .t greater production Of turnipS.
-> ..l fowls How about the fish,"
.-... IN. Governor. And all anybody
...f III him about fish was that the
.a Important edible fish are rapidly
- earring from the inland sounds
.. -.. rivers Of Eastern North Caro-
Governor Sees For Himself.
.. Governor called the Fisheries
".l -+>ian Board ;n;o conference in
E..H-a and the result of that confer
.. a was tha. the Governor was invited
-. personally visit the Sounds and
...- and see for himself the prob
.. oonfron,ing what should be North
r....ma's greatest Industry. That was
O. ginning of the Governors educa-
tia IN the alarming decadence Of one
os CTR greatest natural resources.
Years ago before we thought to enact
aav +~h or fisheries legislation, we per-
u.'-nI Virginia oystermen to come in
ar'> 70 the inland waters of North
".ro'au and carry off our oysters to
ra'r.tsh the oyster beds of Virginia.
'.r oyster industry was nearly de-
,..nvrd ut a time when North Carolina
,.rgid have been leading the nation in
oyster production.
To- the meantime immense seine fish
.rs On Albemarle Sound were taking
w...nnS Of Shad and herring that come
p 'anSe waters to spawn. Miles and
..a> Of nets were used in surrounding
v-. schools Cf fish and taking them
Wholesale. The seine fisheries depleted
..r annual run Of Shad and herring and
annI only when fishing with steam
mGirI seincs became Improbable.
Regulation Comes To Late.
Regulation of the fishing industry
raa" too late to save it. When the
work Of regulation and conservation
WAS begun BY the. Fisheries Commission
Board other destructive agencies over
which the commission had no control
were already at work. The shifting
'aadS Of the Atlantic were closing the
great inletS on the North Carolina
COAST, the gateways through which the
>!ad and herring come into our inland
waters from the ocean. One by one
ta">" inlets have closed until today
'-'r" isn't an inlet north of Hatteras
though which the shad and herring
seeking an inland spawning ground can
D.rr North Carolina waters.
AGd the few fish that do enter these
waters and make their way to the great
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