Evening star., 1924-09-08

in the rivers, far up stream. There
they stay until about one year old.
Then they swim out into the ocean,
where they remain from three to four
years. after which they swim back to
the identical river where they were
hatched. and to the very Matching
grounds; there they spawn and die.
Salmon fishers have been catching
the salmon as they were entering the
rivers ready to spawn; but Secretary
Hoover forbade such a ruinous prac-
tice, which, for the sake of catching
one pair, would destroy thousands of
unspawned eggs. Merely esta blishing
an open season for salmon fishing
would amount to nothing, for the
salmon come near the river mouths
only in June and July. and so can be
caught at no other season. Regula-
ton has been secured by licensing
the right to catch to certain
responsible companies only. and for
bidding all poaching. This has
aroused bitter protests from those
who are barred, but it has seemed to
be the only method for restricting the
destruction of the salmon.
k*
The Widow Bedott, of old-time
fame, used to write poetry to her
beloved. She assured him: TIL never
forsake thee, Oh Shadrack, my Shad."
Today, the whole shad family is in a
fair way to be forgotten-a decrease
of 10 per cent.
Bass, too, are disappearing. They
can not be caught for market, though
a few may be caught with hook and
line for the consumption of the
fisherman-he cannot sell them. The
reason for the Limitation Is owing to
the habits of the bass. AS the
weather grows cold the bass gather
together, as live stock does, to keep
warm. While they are thus hibernat-
ing constituencies fisherman with a
seine can sweep in a whole school Of
fish in one fell swoop. For example,
Mr.. Leach, superintendent of the
Bureau of Fisheries, tells as a true
fish story about seeing one fisher
take in one haul 1900 pounds of
bass. Just one haul! A long ton!
In the fiscal year of 1923 the Bureau
of Fisheries propagated and dis
tributed in the inland waters east of
the Rocky Mountains 39,00o,0o0 bass.
and 100000 sunfish-second cousins
of bass.
In all the Great Lakes the fisheries
are important industries. Great num-
bers of whitefish and trout are caught
in the months of November and Decem-
beT-just in their spawning season.
The Bureau of Fisheries sends agents
to these lake fisheries, who accompany
the fishers in their boats AS the fish
are taken they are cleaned upon the
boats, and the agents, who are there for
that purpose, conserve the eggs, which
would otherwise be wasted. The eggs
are sent to hatcherieS After they are
Matched and become "fingerlings'' they
are distributed to the waters OF the
lakes and streams
X X \
On the Mississippi River, between
Rock Island, ILL.,, and Hastings, Mimi,
there are thousands Of acres Of low
land which in high water is over
flowed. Congress has authorized the
purchase of vast tracts of this land as
fish and game preserves-requiring an
investment of $3.o50,000. Although the
land has not yet been taken over, the
Bureau of Fisheries annually saves the
lives of millions Of fish which have been
trapped in its hollows as the water
rises and falls.
Before these rescued fish are put
back into the river they are inoculated
with spores Of mussel The mussel-a
parasite-chngs to the fish without
harming it. When it reaches proper age
it drops Off and takes up its independ-
ent life as a self supporting mussel.
The mussel besides being a food, Is a
producer of rare pearls, some Of which
have sold as high as $2,5Oo.
Thus, conservation of fish interests
milady as we'll as it does the hunger
novelist of either sex hungering fer
brain food and inspiration.
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