456 bulletin of the united states fish commission. 



HO THE INC !IPIEN« \ OF I 111 MENHADEN ©IE BFSINESS. 



By E. I>. BARKER. 



[From letter to Prof. 8. F. Baird.] 



I passed my youth in daily contact with those who constituted more 

 than one half of all the "menhaden fishers"of that day. My grandfather 

 was the originator of the net then and now in use, and was the first to 

 discover, to "-try out," to market, aud to give value to this most valuable 

 product. I have made from this fish, selected and properly cooked as 

 the "staff" of the meal, more enjoyable breakfasts while yet a boy than 

 ever since from "A 1" mackerel. I have seen my father and nine others 

 realize 8440 cash for a few hours' work in seining, and this at a single 

 catch. This was years before the use of steam in the business. I sin- 

 cerely wish it were in my power to throw a little light on any recent 

 changes, real or alleged, in their habits, in their migrations, as well as 

 upon their relations to what are known as edible fish. 



Washington, D. C, December 28, 1882. 



Ill REASONS FOR RESTRICTING THE USE OF STEAMERS AiVD 



SEINES IN THE ilIENUADEN FISHERY. 



By LOUIS C. d'HOMERGUE. 



[From a letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



I have received, through the courtesy of a friend, a copy of the testi- 

 mony taken by the subcommittee on Foreign Relations, "to examine 

 into the subject of the protection to be given by law to the fish and 

 fisheries on the Atlantic coast." 



It seems to me that the questions were so put as to procure admissions 

 on the part of the menhaden fishermen that they caught large quantities 

 of food-fish in their nets, and that owing to the rapidity with which 

 they were bailed into the vessels it would be impossible to detect them. 

 This, of course, is a wrong impression, for other fish are so distinct that 

 they are detected as easily as a lump of chalk would be iu a load of 

 soft, fine coal. The fact, however, has been clearly established by all 

 the witnesses examined iu the interest of the menhaden steamers that 

 they do not catch enough food fish to furnish diet for their crews, and 

 that whenever this rule is broken by an exception the food -fish is 

 brought to market for sale. But the truth is that the market is soon 

 glutted, so that what remained on two occasions had either to be thrown 

 overboard or turned into guano which went to make food. 



Tons of food-fish are removed weekly from Fulton market, in summer 

 especially, and taken by two well known fertilizing firms. 



