4G2 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



113 — why 1iimiuiia »i-1m.\<; mum ii) mit bk prohibited 

 within two :tiii,i:s of the: shore. 



By JOSEPH WIIARTO\. 



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



Having a fishery and oil tanks in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, 

 I venture to give my views on the subject of prohibiting the seining of 

 menhaden within 2 miles of the shore. 



. I. Fishing by sail vessels does not destroy the menhaden in excessive 

 quantities, does not worry them constantly in their annual cruise along 

 our coast, and permits the fishermen of each region to enjoy what natur- 

 ally belongs to their region. 



II. Fishing by steamers not only permits the destruction of menhaden 

 in quantities sufficient, perhaps, to jeopardize the keeping up adequate 

 numbers of the fish, but tends to drive them off the coast by keeping 

 them worried all the way from South Carolina to Maine without inter- 

 vals of peace. It deprives the moderate sailing outfits of the various 

 points along the Jersey shore and more southern coasts of their fair 

 share of the catch, and almost destroys the fisheries of Maine and the 

 north generally. * 



III. To prohibit fishing within 2 miles of the shore would simply 

 give over the business more completely to the steamers and intensify 

 all the existing evils. Unless the coast were patrolled by swift steam 

 inspectors, the steamers would fish where they liked, not even obeying 

 the law which destroyed their rivals for their benefit. 



It seems to me that a law of two short sections would meet the case. 

 Let it prohibit (1) all seine or purse fishing ou the Atlantic coast by 

 steamers; and (2) all such fishing by any craft except between Juue 1 

 and October 31. 



Camden, N. J., January 13, 1883. 



114.— LARGE HAITI, OF I>RI IUFISH. 



[From the Atlantic City Review.] 



A special dispatch to the Review, received last evening from Somers 

 Point, on the bay shore, opposite Great Egg Harbor Inlet, and about 3 

 miles above the lower point of this beach, brought information that 

 150,000 drumfish were caught yesterday off that place by the fish-oil 

 factory boats, and will be ground up and converted into fish-oil ami 

 guano. The nets used are worked by steam, and are, in some cases, 

 a half mile long. At certain seasons the drum congregate near the 

 surface in enormous quantities. They average 25 pounds each. 



July. 1883. 



