1 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



diifasion was almost universal, so tliat few portions of the country east 

 of the Alleghany range were destitute of their share. 



The fisheries were established on the river banks, and the farmers liv- 

 ing at a distance from the streams were in the habit of coming in their 

 wagons to these stations and hauling the fish to their homes, and there 

 l)reserving such as were not needed at the time, for the winter's use. 

 Sometimes the early settlers in new towns, remote from the rivers, 

 before roads were cut tlirough the forests, having no more convenient 

 mode of transportation, were in the habit of taking their fish in bed- 

 ticks hung across the backs of horses, in some well-authenticated cases 

 for as many as thirty miles. 



The fisheries were originally prosecuted almost entirely by the use of 

 seines; and although at any one place very few were taken compared 

 with the numbers now captured in connection with the great modern 

 contrivances employed for the purpose, yet in view of their occurrence 

 in every river and its subdivisions, it is by no means fmprcbable that 



was double that number engaged aud some twelve nets, and so increased until a year 

 ago ; this last winter there were between seventy aud eighty nets and over one hun- 

 dred men employed from Pilatka down. 



"Above Pilatka, particularly in tlie lakes, there were many more employed, say 

 twenty. 



" This last winter the business was about the same as the year before. It is estimated 

 that about 500,000 were shipped from the Saint John's, mostly to Savauuah. From 

 Savannah they are distributed to various points north. 



" In size those caught here are not as large as those in the Connecticut River. 



" Our fishermen use a net of 4-J inches mesh, while iu the Connecticut they use a Sc- 

 inch mesh. 



"They appear in our river coming in on their way to our upper lakes and creeks to 

 spawn. When they come in they are fat and go into all parts of the river; but ou 

 their return, in Juue and July, they are very poor, and keep low iu the deep water and 

 follow the chanuel. 



" Only a small portion of them return. It is thought they die of exhaustion, and are 

 devoured by alligators and larger lish. The young shad go down to salt-water early 

 the summer when they are about li inches long. The fishermen are of the opinion that 

 the shad have always been about aKS nuuierous as now in the Saint John's, but that the 

 appliances for capturing them have been improved from year to year, aud more persons 

 engaged in it. 



" The facts just presented are all from Mr. Robinsou, and relate to the Saint John's 

 River. I may say in addition, as regards our own waters, that there are a few shad taken 

 every season in the Saint Mary's and Saint Ilia by people living on those rivers for their 

 own use ; the net used being simxdy a hoop, 8 or 10 feet in diameter with handle 8 feet long, 

 and held perpendicularly in the water by one man while another paddles the boat. 

 When the holder of the net feels the fish against it, he brings it to the surface in the 

 same manner as a scoop-net would be handled. From two to three and not nnfre- 

 quently five or six are caught at one time iu this manner. But I do not think that 

 shad are as abundant in the above-mentioned rivers (which are narrow and deep) 

 as they are iu the (shoal aud broad) river Saint John's 

 " Very respectfully, yours, 



« JOSEPH SIIEPARD, 



" Saint Mary^s, Ga. 

 " Hon. Spencer F. Baird, 



" Conwisssioner, Washingion, D. C. " 



