BartleU. — Fish Waste 23 



that more than one half of the shipments were dumped into the 

 river, owing to a glutted market and the soft condition of the fish. 

 I have seen numbers of account sales showing a balance due the 

 consignee, the sales failing to pay freight. 



Such wholesale depredations on the supply could only result 

 in its depletion, if not its extinction, and the output decreased 

 so rapidly that the number of fish dealers dwindled down to only 

 a few here and there, in the towns along the rivers, who shipped 

 dressed fish to inland towns and sold locally. The buffalo were 

 nearly out of the market and the game fishes, bass, crappie, 

 sunfish, perch, etc., became favorites and were sought for in the 

 markets. These conditions were finally brought to the attention 

 of the state legislatures and the result was the enactment of 

 protective laws, but the buffalo never regained its former status 

 as the principal commercial fish. Carp were introduced into 

 the public waters and by their rapid growth and increase have 

 supplanted the buffalo and taken first place in the market as a 

 coarse fish. 



So much for the fish waste of former years, before the 

 importance of fish protection and conservation was understood, 

 in those lavish days when all of nature's gifts were under-valued 

 because of their bountiful supply. What can be said in excuse 

 of the waste in supply, the indifference shown in failing to utilize 

 every pound of food and every means available to increase the 

 quantity in these days of enlightenment, when one is urged daily 

 to do all in his power to conserve and increase all the resources 

 of the nation? Not only could fish be a part of the economy of 

 every farm, but the methods of the market fishermen are as 

 wasteful as in former years, though in different ways. 



Let me illustrate: Seining in Illinois waters is lawful from 

 September first to April fifteenth of the following year. The 

 earlier seining is usually in warm weather. Many of the seines 

 are from 1000 to 1500 yards in length and are handled, as a rule, 

 by gasoline winches. The fish taken are put in live boxes and 

 either transferred to others or anchored to await time for use. 

 Many of the fish die from injuries in the seine or live boxes and it 

 is not unusual to find the surface of the water in the live box in the 

 morning covered with dead fish. These are all thrown back into 

 the river, not only a loss, but a menace to the health of the com- 



