PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 25. 87 



The Commissioners on Fisheries and Game are already engaged 

 upon the following practical plans for the development of the 

 individual streams: - 



(1) Divide the old alewife streams into two classes, - - (a) those 

 capable of restoration, and (6) those in which the fishery may 

 never or may with difficulty be restored. First give attention 

 to selected streams of the former class. 



(2) Form a clear passageway for the fish to and from the 

 spawning grounds. Such work entails the installation of work- 

 able fishways and screens, and the clearing out of all obstructing 

 material. 



(3) See that the owners of cranberry bogs co-operate in the 

 protection of the fisheries, and that due care is used to prevent 

 the damage which frequently results under present conditions. 



(4) Restock depleted streams by transplanting spawning ale- 

 wives to their headwaters. 



(5) Protect certain streams by well-regulated closed seasons. 

 Even more important is the reorganization of the methods of 



operating the fisheries, which must be simultaneously enforced 

 in order to receive any benefit from the above plan of improving 

 the streams. The method of operating the fisheries by the town 

 is perhaps the main reason for their present deplorable condition. 

 State control would eliminate many evils, and in the long run 

 would doubtless prove the best measure. However, the system 

 of town control has been in vogue for so long, and in a few in- 

 stances has proved so thoroughly efficient, that it is suggested 

 the individual towns be given a chance to prove their ability to 

 properly manage their alewife fisheries by adopting the following 

 recommendations: 



(1) Establish uniform alewife laws for all the shore towns of 

 the Commonwealth, repealing the special acts for the various 

 localities. These laws should be simple and broad enough to 

 permit individual town regulation of certain local needs. 



(2) Do not have over three fishing days per week, and make 

 these the same for the whole State. 



(3) Enact closed seasons at definite intervals. 



(4) When a fishery is sold by the town, require a lease for a 

 period of not less than five years. 



(5) Institute uniform methods of sale and catching. 



(6) Maintain rigid inspection to prevent illegal pollution, 

 obstruction and overfishing. 



(7) In addition to advisory powers give the State the right to 

 force negligent towns to properly take care of their fisheries. 



