BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 337 



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Vol. IV, IVo. 22. Washington, D. C. Aug. 13, 1884. 



169.— NOTES OIV TIIK: SHAD SEASOrV OF 1884, WITH KKFERENC'C:* 



TO OTHER SPECIES. 



By CHAS. ^V. Si^II2.EY. 



The following items have been iev.eived from different sources, and 

 indicate generally a good. season: 



The Delaware River. — A shad weighing over 7 pounds was 

 speared below the canal company's dam in the Delaware Eiver at this 

 place last night (May 3). This is the first shad of the season, and its 

 early appearance in these upper waters is another illustration of the 

 success that has followed the etibrts of the United States Fish Com- 

 missioner in restocking the Delaware with shad. For twenty-five years 

 preceding the restocking, which was begun in 1872, no shad was seen 

 further up stream than Milford, 30 miles below Lackawaxeo, although 

 they had been at one time plentiful at Hancock, over 50 miles above 

 here. Thousands were annually taken between Lackawaxen fciid Han- 

 cock in eel-weirs and bush-seines, the rough and rocky part of the river 

 preventing the drawing of nets. Not only the mature fish were cap- 

 tured, but the young fry were destroyed in immense numbers by hun- 

 dreds of traps. This indiscriminate slaughter of shad, from the head- 

 waters of the Delaware to tide-water, resulted in their total disappear- 

 ance from the stream above Milford, and in 1872 the fisheries at that 

 place yielded only single fish where they had once rewarded the fisher- 

 men with enormous hauls. 



In 1875, three years after the restocking experiments had been tried, 

 there was a notable increase in the catches at Milford, and in 1876 shad 

 again ai)peared as far up as Lackawaxen. The increase has been large 

 and steady ever since, and now shad arrive here in large schools every 

 spring. They are unable to go further up the river, as the canal com- 

 pany's dam is an obstruction which they cannot overcome. But for that, 

 the upper waters of the Delaware would soon be as well supplied wi'^h 

 shad as they were half a century ago. As they are now protected 

 against bush-seines and eel- weirs, and as nets cannot be successfully 

 used above Milford, there would be no means for the people up the val- 

 ley to take the fish, except by spearing, which is the manner in which 

 they are captured at Lackawaxen. They gather at the foot of the dam 

 and remain there. Men and boys collect at night at the bulkheads and 

 breakwaters. By throwing strong light on the water by means of 

 jacks the fish are i)lainly brought to view and are speared bj^ the hun- 

 dred. The one killed last night was the largest one ever seen so far 

 up the river. 



Bull. U. S. F. C, 84 22 



