058 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



5. THE FISHERIES OF THE HUDSON RIVER. 



By MARSHALL MCDONALD. 



The sources of the Hudson are in the Adirondack Mountains. Us main tributary, the Mohawk, 

 rises in the table-land which forms the divide between the waters that flow into Lake Ontario on 

 the one side and into the Hudson River on the other, and flows southeast ; but, breaking through 

 the Gatskills, precipitates itself at Cohoes to the level of the river valley of the Hudson by falls 

 which are about 40 feet in height. These falls, while forming a magnificent water-power for the 

 many factories along the river's banks present an insuperable barrier to the ascent of fish. An 

 obstruction of this kind exists at Glens Falls, on the main river. Indeed, all the tributaries are 

 characterized by similar impediments, and thus may explain the fact that the Hudson is not, and, 

 as far as we can learn from historical data, has never been a salmon river, and yet, strange to say 

 the Connecticut River, similar in physical features to the Hudson, in olden times had important 

 and productive salmon fisheries. 



The sturgeon fisheries of the Hudson were formerly of great importance, but now are of com- 

 parative insignificance. The shad fisheries have, however, maintained considerable importance, 

 and in annual value are hardly inferior to those on the .Albeunirle, Potomac, or Susquehauna. 



As explanatory of the decrease of certain fisheries on many rivers, it has been frequently 

 alleged that the same is due to such deleterious influences as the disturbance of the waters by pass 

 ing steamers, the pollution by sewage, and the refuse of the paper, calico, and other factories in 

 operation along their banks. Were these valid reasons for the decrease of the river fisheries, then 

 certainly would the fisheries of the Hudson be reduced to a minimum. Statistics, however, show- 

 that on this river, in spite of all these supposed baleful influences, the shad fisheries have fallen 

 off less than in any other river on the Atlantic seaboard. It is manifest, then, that in accounting 

 for the impaired shad fisheries of the Potomac and other rivers, we must adduce arguments more 

 tenable than the disturbance and pollution of the waters. In New York Harbor alone, which 

 is in an incessant state of turmoil, caused by the thousands of vessels daily plowing its waters, 

 over 250,000 shad are annually taken. 



The shad appear first in the lower bay, between Sandy Hook and Fort Washington, about 

 March 20. They are taken at the Narrows, below Fort Washington, by gillers from Fort Lee, 

 Hastings, and other points on the river. These men come down to meet the shad, and fish as 

 long as their operations are profitable. The duration of the fishing season here is, however, 

 very short, as the shad soon commence their upward movement. From Jersey City to Fort 

 Lee fishing is carried on entirely by means of stake-nets. These are set hi 40 to 60 feet of 

 water. Such deep fishing necessitates very expensive preliminaries. The stakes or poles arc 

 cut from 60 to 80 feet long, and cost $7 to $10 apiece. They run out in long rows from the 

 shore and are placed at intervals of 27 to 30 feet, often numbering thirty in a row. The nets 

 are 5 inch stretch mesh, and are made in squares of one hundred meshes. The nets are 

 lashed to poles, which are fastened to the stakes by rings and ropes. In setting these nets it 

 is necessary that the upper line should be 7 or 8 feet below the surface, so as to prevent being 

 torn by passing vessels. If the fish are running deep the nets must be lowered on the poles, 

 and vice versa. 



