148 American Fisheries Society 



lation relative to the alewife streams when not, as often, 

 confusing and conflicting, has been good, and if the 

 provisions of the laws could have been adequately en- 

 forced by the towns assuming such responsibilities, there 

 would probably have been little or no decline in the fish- 

 ery. Unfortunately, the provisions of many excellent 

 laws were not enforced and the result was the same as 

 if no laws were upon the statute books. 



Results of Annual Sales. — Very early the plan of leas- 

 ing the fisheries to the highest bidders was instituted. 

 This scheme has proved one of the most serious causes of 

 the decline of the fishery. The leases were given for 

 short intervals, frequently for one year, and the lessee 

 endeavored to get all he could out of the fishery for the 

 year without considering the future welfare of the fish- 

 ery. Thus, for instance, streams where originally the 

 alewife fishery was sold for as high as three thousand 

 dollars are sold today for a mere pittance of five dollars 

 or are not worth selling at all. 



Present Conditions. — During the past two years the 

 condition of the alewife fishery in every coastal stream 

 of the Commonwealth has been thoroughly investigated 

 by the Massachusetts Commission on Fisheries and 

 Game, and the streams which are worth reclaiming have 

 been noted. The conditions at the present time are 

 deplorable. In most instances the towns take little or 

 no interest in the fishery, and are perfectly willing to let 

 the industry pass away. In other cases, the towns jeal- 

 ously guard their rights over the alewife streams, but 

 in most cases do not show any desire or aptitude to 

 improve the conditions, but strenuously object to outside 

 interference, especially on the part of the State. It can 

 fairly be said that the alewife fishery at the present time 

 is in a deplorable condition, and if this State asset is 

 to be saved, radical and immediate action on the part 

 of centralized State control is essential. 



Value of the Fishery. — The special value of the alewife 

 arises from the fact that it is one of the few fish that 

 "furnishes its own transportation"; coming in the early 



