REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 77 



Tlie conditions which necessitated the closing of the Battery shad 

 hatchery at Havre de Grace, at the mouth of the Susquehanna 

 River, are set forth in a report by the Commissioner to the Secretary 

 on January 27, 1917, from which the following extracts are taken: 



The possibility that the Bureau might be driven to this step has been appreciated 

 by you for nearly four years. Each season in that period the condition of the fisheries 

 at the mouth of the Susquehanna has been taken under consideration with reference 

 to our fish -cultural work. _ In annual reports, in special reports to members of the 

 legislature, in communications to the governor, in press notices to the fishermen and 

 the general public, and in personal statements and appeals, we have shown the neces- 

 sity for a radical change of policy on the part of the State of Maryland in order that 

 the further depletion of once valuable fisheries might be arrested and the abundance 

 of important food fishes might be restored and maintained. Nothing has been done 

 to improve the situation. The State continues to permit practices known to be 

 inimical to the best interests of the fisheries and directly antagonistic to the efforts 

 of the Bureau of Fisheries in behalf of the people of the State. The future expendi- 

 ture of effort and money under the circumstances is not only inadvisable and unjusti- 

 fied, but is clearly forbidden by the following stipulation which Congress has wisely 

 placed on our annual appropriations for the propagation of food fishes: 



' ' No part of the appropriation herein for propagation of food fishes shall be expended 

 for hatching or planting fish or eggs in any State in which, in the judgment of the 

 Secretary of Commerce, there are not adequate laws for the protection of the fishes." 



The Government has been conducting shad-cultural operations at Havre de Grace 

 since 1877, and has occupied the present site since 1880. Owing to its favorable 

 location and the cordial cooperation of the fishermen, the hatchery was able to save 

 the spawn of a very large percentage of the ripe shad caught for market, and the out- 

 put season after season tested the full capacity of the plant. In fact, this hatchery 

 has a record of young shad produced that is not approached by any other; and the 

 abundance of fish was assured year after 5^ear, notwithstanding an enormous catch. 

 Gradually the methods of fishing have undergone a change and there has arisen a 

 new generation of fishermen apparently indifferent to the needs of the shad, forgetful 

 of their own interest, disinclined to cooperate with the Government, and insisting on 

 the use of methods that are contrary to the interests of the State and of its people. 

 The legislature, with the weight of evidence and testimony available regarding the 

 obnoxious fishing methods, would be justified in summarily suppressing them as a 

 nuisance; they remain unaltered. There is thereby placed on the Federal Govern- 

 ment a task that yearly becomes more difficult, more expensive, and more unsatis- 

 factory to all persons having the welfare of the fisheries and the fishermen at heart. 



In the earlier years cited, the average cost of collecting and hatching shad eggs at 

 Havre de Grace was well under |100 per million. In 19i5 the cost exceeded $i,940 

 per million, and during the past three seasons has averaged $1,216 per million, or more 

 than twelve times the former cost. 



The entire history of the hatching operations on the Susquehanna shows that the 

 Bureau has spared no effort and expense to aid the fisheries and maintain the supply 

 of Maryland's most important food fish. I would favor the resumption of our opera- 

 tions as soon as the State gives evidence of a due appreciation of the Government's 

 work by the enactment of laws placing proper restrictions on the fishing. 



The situation at San Marcos was somewhat different from that at 

 Havi*e de Grace in that two stipulations imposed by Congress in 

 relation to the fish-cultural work of the Bureau were being violated. 

 The matter was formally presented by the Commissioner to the 

 Secretary in Ma}^, 1917, and the Secretary thereupon issued a closing 

 order, accompanying it with a public statement from which the 

 following is an extract: 



It is with deep regret that I have been obliged to close the fish-cultural station at 

 San Marcos, Tex., because of the failure of the State to meet the conditions imposed 

 by Congress. These conditions are (1) that the State shall afford proper protection 

 to the fishes cultivated and (2) that the Commissioner of Fisheries and his duly 

 authorized agents shall be accorded the right to conduct fish-cultural work and all 

 operations connected therewith in such manner and at such times as they may 

 regard as necessary and proper. 



The principal fish cultivated at the San Marcos station is the largemouth black 

 bass, the most important of the fresh-water fishes of Texas. The Department has for 



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