Year: 1869




The Commissioners Of Fisheries Of tkis
State are preparing their report to the Legiss
lature. They recommend that tho artificial
propagation Of shad In the Hudson should be
undertaken on scale to make an immediate
and sensible impression. They suggest that
sufficient preparations should be made to
hatch not less than three hundred million
eggs, so that even II only one in three hundred
returns from the sea within the next two
years we shall have million Of shad added
to the supply in Fulton and Washington mar.
kets, which at the ordinary price Of those ex-
cellent fish would represent value Of I've
hundred thousand dollars. But as they als0
recommend restriction In the size Of tho
mesh, SO that none but mature fish can bs
taken, and that one day in seven-from
Saturday night until Monday morning-be
allowed the breeders to reach their spawning
grounds, during which time netting would
have to stop, the least intelligent and COM
scientious Of the nsh dealers are trying to
prevent this action.


Nothing is more clear than that the course
advised by the commissioners must eventually
benefit the fishermen more than any other class
Of the community; for the demand must adj
vance with increasing population fully as fast
as the supply is increased But some Of them
have hit upon an ingenious dodge BY which
they hope both to draw off public attention
fro,r the proper measures and to ill their nets
and packets at the same time. They have
hired a Bohemian writer, who is urging
upon the commissioners and the public
the advisability Of putting salmon in
the Hudson river Instead Of shad. To be
sure, they and he well know that there never
was but one salmon seen In that river, to the
knowledge Of any living man, and that the
traditions about that respectable navigator.
Hendrix Hudson, having seen ''great stores
of salmon" on his voyage up the river are
all fol-de-rol. But they want salmon TO sell at
dollar pound, and they would much prefer
having the State bring these in the shape Of
spawn or fish and raise them, and let them
catch them, to paying the Canadians for them,


Their spokesman Ia hard at work, and II Q
knowledge of Billingsgate and the language ID
vogue at that famous fish market is an evidence
of acquaintance with fish culture his abuse Of
the commissioners proves that he is an expert.
He ignores entirely the suggestions of those
gentlemen, and says nothing OF the number o.
nets, amounting at least to thousand, which
line both banks Of the Hudson from New York TO
Albany, and which would surely catch salmon
as fast as the government could hatch thems
But he will have salmon, and if he cannot have
those he insists upon it that nothing shall be
done for the poor, who are contented to eat
less expensive fish. He tried in the first place
to get on the commission himself, where he
could effectually have blocked any attempt Of
Improvement Of the fisheries; but failing ir
that, from being notorious for his defence of
poachers for infractions Of the game laws, he
is taking his present course. He is not likely
to succeed, and fortunately for his clients they
----, r~y naln An 0saso esau unSaiapie or unseay
sonable fish, which 1t Is said he prefers t6
any other kind; SO they will not be much ouS
of pocket by his failure.