360 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Throughout the great lakes, where the gill-net interest and pound-net 

 interest are nearly divided, each inveighs against the other, and shows 

 the advantages pertaining to its own system in relation to preserving 

 the stock of fish in the waters, and in most instances (there have been 

 favorable exceptions, however) a move for legislation for fishery laws, 

 emanating from fishermen, will be found to bear unjustly on a certain 

 class of nets, while the rival interest is not interfered with. 



These facts are given to show that the complaints coming from the 

 net interests are calculated to misguide, and that efficient, just, and en- 

 lightened legislation should base its conclusions on a more impartial, 

 disinterested investigation of the matter. 



There is little doubt that the great occasion for decrease in the Poto- 

 mac is over-fishing, and in this all kinds of nets are more or less involved. 

 Added to this, impurities carried into the river from drainage have 

 some minor influence,* the disturbance of the fish, especially the shad 

 from its well-known timidity, by the plashing of steamer-wheels; and 

 the continual obstructions it encounters from the nets. 



In those causes are the true reasons for decrease. The remedies are 

 what shall influence these by way of restriction or prohibition. The 

 latter has not usually worked to good advantage, as it has occasioned 

 too strong an opposition and is rather un-American in spirit. 



The true policy in a law would be to strike at abuses in all nets, and 

 nothing can be more to the purpose in the protection of anadromous 

 fishes, such as the salmon, shad, and alewife, than a " close-season " law 

 prohibiting all fishing during a portion of each week — from Friday 

 night to Monday morning, or such other time as may be considered 

 necessary. Eegulations of the length of nets and the size of mesh are 

 also valuable measures. 



The great reason for failure in the effect of fishery-laws has not been 

 their character, but the fact that they were not enforced. This has 

 been the almost universal history of the laws except in Canada, Scan- 

 dinavia, and portions of Russia. It has been notably so throughout 

 the United States. 



A suggestion which has impressed me strongly with relation to the 

 fisheries of the Potomac I hesitate to propose, as it is so opposed to 

 the judgment of all who have taken fishery -laws under consideration, 

 and among these I recognize many whose opinions I have reason to 

 treat with great respect, as they have studied this question with earnest- 

 ness and fairness, and have arrived at their conclusions from a consid- 

 erable range of observation and thought. 



The proposition I desire to make must be premised by the condition 

 that suitable laws be enacted and efficient means be provided for theii 



*It is quite possible that the abundance of the shad in the Georgetown channel has 

 been lessened because of the drainage from the gas-works at G street, although the 

 amount of drainage into so large a stream as the Potomac is soon dissipated, and doos 

 not influence very far down the stream. 



