THE OYSTER. 1 79 



In 1880 the fishermen of the interior believed that 

 the fishermen in lower waters, nearer the ocean, were 

 to blame for the decline of the fisheries. They com- 

 plained of the erection of pounds and weirs along the 

 shores of the salt-water bays and sounds, where the 

 fishes were captured in great numbers far away from 

 their spawning grounds. They believed that legisla- 

 tion could save the fishery, and that if these obstruc- 

 tions were prohibited by law and lemoved, and all the 

 shad were permitted to reach fresh water before they 

 were captured, enough eggs would be deposited to 

 keep up the supply, but that the destruction of such 

 numbers in salt water must necessarily result in exter- 

 mination. 



This seemed to fresh-water fishermen to be good 

 logic, but the salt-water fishermen took a different view 

 of the matter. They wanted more legislation them- 

 selves, but of a different sort, and claimed that what 

 was needed was protection for the shad upon the 

 spawning ground. They said that they themselves fur- 

 nished most of the shad for the market; that without 

 them the cities could not be supplied, and that enough 

 shad escaped their nets and reached the fresh water 

 to supply all the eggs that were needed, if they could 

 be left to lay their eggs in peace. 



In 1880 there seemed to be good sense in this view 

 also, and it was difficult for a disinterested outsider to 

 tell who was right. The only thing which seemed clear 

 was that the shad were growing scarce, and that, if 

 the Legislature did not do something to protect them, 

 they would soon be exterminated. 



In 1888 more shad were caught in salt water than 



