Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-10

ana enforced to protect TINS fdpIdiy
disappearing class of finny swimmers.
Capt. L. q. Harron. superintendent
Of the National Bryan Point shad
hatchery. who has engaged in prac-
tical fishing and scientific fish cultural
activities along the placid Potomac
for - years, predicts the early eXtinc-
ton of the snad and allied species
unless the fish are given the sporting
chance" when they merit.
Statistics tell the story in black and
white. Government figures show the
production Of only 6966S2 pounds of
shad in Maryland and Virginia waters
in 1925, as compared with 3,115,571
pounds in 1929. Chesapeake Bay, free
from fishing law enforcement. con
gested with pound and gill nets and
haul seines during the Spring shad-
running season. bears semb1ance to a
modern battlefield i'm the fish destruc-
ton which it annually countenances.
Federal statute requires that seiners
end meters leave adequate space be-
tween their fishing paraphernal!a to
facilitate the free navigational use of
Chesapeake Lay. Occasionally, how
ever, it is even difficult for freight and
passenger boats TO ply their paths
through the network Of commercial
nets and scines. 1t is but another mod
ern illustration of the venerable saying.
''You can't have your cake and eat ii
also"
Commercialized fishing has capital
fed the shad resources of Chesapeake
Bay. the Potomac River and its fresh
water tributaries to the zenith of their
possibilities. The ever increasing
dearth in the population of shad that
swim up the Potomac River to spawn
is an accurate reflection of the pro-
fessionaI success of the bay fisher
men.
Fish, like rats. multiply ia amazing
proportions IL given a fair chance. If
Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River
waters would preserve natural shad
propagation they must legislate over
fishing.
II the weather is favorable and If
no ice interferes seriously with their
preparations, the commercial fisher
men begin to set their nets in Chesa-
peake Bay as early as the middle of
February. The program continues
until the shad begin to run. At that
time lines of nets from two to five
miles or more in length stand ready
to encircle the school of shad" as
they swim IN orderly procession to-
ward the Potomac and its tributaries
for the spawning season. Strings of
five to ten sunken fyke nets. in bat
terry formation. are extended from
shore to shore on river flats and trib
utaries
The Government fishing experts
report that the common net fishermen
catch from S5 to 80 per cent of the
migrating shad as they begin their
annual excursion from salt to fresh
water. This means that under present
conditions only 10 to - per cent of the
shad are able 10 gain access to the
up-river solitude which they seek dur
ing the spawning season. Those that
penetrate to the fresh water have to
run the gauntlet Of innumerable drift
nets placed here, there and every
where for their capture. 1t will be
hut a few years now until the At
lantic Coast shad will be extinct.
y =
THE notable Bryan Point shad
hatchery owned by Uncle Sam
will be forced to close its experimental
doors in the early future unless some
thing drastic Is done to safeguard the
shad during the early Spring migra-
tory season. The eggs for propa gat-
ing purposes are purchased from COM
mercial fishermen. AS the catch,
year. by year, declines. the reclamation
Of eggs is proportionately curtailed.
Several years ago, the Bryan Point
station Matched and planted from
sc. 900 900 to so 900 900 young shad
every Spring. Last Spring, only
5000 900 shad were Matched and dis
fributed in the waters of the Potomac
and it's tributaries.
For the 15-year period previous to
1922, this Government establishment
Matched and distributed 200, 000, 900 vel
low perch every Spring. Now the
yellow perch is becoming very scarce
AMI it is exceedingly difficult for the
Federal fish-culturists to secure satis-
factory brood FISH.
Shad and similar Springtime deli
cacies of the piscatorical field of pro-
auction will be as rare and almost as
costly as terrapin on the potential
menus of Washington restaurants,
hotels and clubs unless concerted ao-
tion is soon taken to rescue the rem
nant of the brood fish from ruin and
to encourage their propagation under
adequate protection.
The Bryan Point hatchery raised
only 101 100000 yellow perch during
1925. All of these active little swim
mers were liberated as potential brood
in the waters of the Potomac.
Last year, 204,582 shad, weighing
696 .632 pounds, were caught in the
Potomac River. These fish were
valued by the fishermen at Sl64 600.
This is one of the lowest annual
catches recorded since fish bookkeep-
ing" has been practiced along the
river.
Virginia and Maryland fishermen.
to the number Of 761 using 536 row.
boats, scows and launches; $50 pound
and gill nets. and one $500 haul
seine. fished shad and alewives from
the Potomacs glistening waters. The
total catch Of alewives was 1885 $3.50,
valued at $4,000.
ANY discussion of commercial fish
ing along the Potomac would be i'm
complete without some mention of the
volume Of fishery products handled
a the Municipal Fish Wharf and Mar
ket at the foot OF Eleventh street.
Uncle Sans record shows that 7.04l,-
058 pounds of 81 different varieties
Of FISH and sea food were sold during
the last year. The most important
products on the basis of quantity re.
ceipts consisted of 14l2, 1858 pounds
of squeteagues or "sea trout: 1,l07,-
PA pounds Of croker. 100 200 pounds
river herring, 4S0,052 pounds oysters,
1885, AS pounds of shad, including roe,
423.570 pounds haddock and 330,0T4
pounds striped bass.
X y &
THE first shad hatchery and FISH
culture station which supplied
the Potomac was established at the
Washington Navy Yard in the late
eighties. Subsequently, it was re-
moved to Fort Washington, farther
down the Potomac. Eventually. the
War Department decided to make re
pairs at Fort Washington. which again
recessitated a change Of base for the
Governments rsh Matching station
Thus it vas in 1892 that the shad
and yellow ana white perch hatchery
at BRYAN Point was established.
Uncle Sam pays $22.50 million for