20 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



and au effort be made to restore them to their former numerous con- 

 dition. 



There are two methods that present themselves to accomplish this 

 purpose. The more efficient one is artificial propagation ; the other^ 

 necessary as an auxiliary to the first, is legislation. 



17. — PEOTECTIYE LEGISLATION. 



The experience of the past, both in Europe and the older portions ot 

 our country, indicates the inadequacy of protective legislation in })re- 

 venting the decrease and extermination of the food-fishes. 



In the compilation of the laws relating to the protection of fisheries 

 in Massachusetts, published in the sixth annual report of the commis- 

 sioners of inland fisheries of that State, there were three hundred and 

 fifty-nine acts, passed by the legislature of the State between the years 

 1G23 and 1857, involving directly the protection of the food-fislies. In 

 1857 the first provision for propagation was made. Until this time, 

 though the law had the influence to retard the decrease, it had not pre- 

 vented it, and the salmon were exterminated, while the shad were 

 reduced in numbers, until the fishing was unprofitable, and their price 

 in the market very high. 



The propagation of the shad restored their numbers in a few years 

 until they were more abundant than for fifty years previously in the 

 Connecticut Eiver, where the experiment was made. 



The alewives were rapidly renewed in numbers, and the effort is now 

 being made to restore the salmon. 



The fish-protection laws of Great Britain date back before the Middle 

 Ages, while the restoration of numbers in the salmon is owing to fish- 

 propagation by the artificial methods within the period of a few years. 



This has been the general exjjerience. The effect of the law, when 

 most efficient, has been merely preservative, while that of propagation 

 is restorative. 



The greatest necessity iu the way of legislation in the lake-region is 

 the protection of the immature fishes from capture and destruction, aud 

 this should be the principal aim of laws regulating the fisheries. 



To accomplish this, a great many have advocated the entire prohi- 

 bition of the use of pound-nets, believing it to be the simplest eflective 

 way of disposing of the matter. It must be understood, however, that 

 it would work ruin to every pound-net fisherman. The nets and boats 

 are entirely useless for any other purpose than pound-net fishing, and 

 the fisherman's entire property, with comparatively few exceptions, is 

 invested in his fishing-stock, occasionally reaching a figure as high as 

 four or five thousand dollars, and rarely as low an amount as four hun- 

 dred dollars. Besides, though it would arrest the decrease, it woidd 

 reduce the product of the fisheries for several years, because of the great 

 decrease in the number of nets, and the whole fishing-interests of the 

 lakes in tlie market would be embarrassed in consequence. 



