Bartlett. — Decrease of Coarse Fish 201 



Dr. G. W. Field, Boston, Mass.: In answer to the questions of the 

 gentleman from Illinois I might say that the state of Massachusetts 

 has maintained Buzzards Bay for the last 15 or 20 years as a breeding 

 place for salt water fish, in which no seining has been allowed — only 

 hand line fishing. Buzzards Bay is 20 miles long and 215 miles wide. 

 We have also a similar place farther down the cape, relatively of small 

 size, where no seining is allowed. 



All the state ponds of Massachusetts above 20 acres in area are 

 fished only by a single hook and line; no seining is allowed. The same 

 is true of the rivers. The conditii ns are not exactly parallel with those 

 in Illinois, as we have only a few carp. They were introduced some 

 years ago in Laurel Lake in the Berkshires. I understand there is but 

 little water left in the lake and the rest is carp. The wealthy residents 

 complain that the carp come into the gardens and pick the strawberries. 

 ( Laughter.) 



Dr. Bartlett: Is it possible for me to obtain a copy of the laws 

 bearing on that subject? 



Dr. Field : I will see that you get copies. 



Mr. D. B. Fearing, Newport, R. I. : I would like to tell you a carp 

 story. I used to live in California at a place called Upper Lake, and 

 to get there in those days, there being no railroad, one had to go by 

 stage coach and cross the Russian River. During the spawning season 

 of the steelhead trout I have seen anywhere from six to a dozen or 

 more of the trout killed by the wheels of the coach and the horses' feet. 

 The fishing was excellent in Upper Lake, and there were myriads of 

 canvasback, redhead and wood ducks to be killed. About 25 years ago 

 a German turned an aquarium full of carp into the lower lake, and 

 today there is not a steelhead trout in either the upper or lower lake; 

 there is not a wild duck to be found; there is nothing but carp. 



Dr. Bartlett : I have long been abused on- account of the carp. I 

 could not come into the room but some one would shout: "Here comes 

 old carp." A number of states enacted legislation against the introduc- 

 tion of carp, and their defense made me quite notorious all over the 

 country. The carp has been wrongfully abused, and in line with what 

 has been said 1 want to read you a telegram that got into the Associated 

 Press dispatches in the Illinois papers, to show you that there are two 

 sides to the question. 



"CALLS BLACK BASS CANNIBALS 

 Veteran Illinois Fisherman Says That They Eat up Other 



Varieties 



Bloomington, 111., October i. — Mr. Lawrence, a veteran fisherman of the 

 Illinois River, thinks that the new fishing law has many bad points. He assert- 

 that it is useless for fishermen who seine black bass to return them to the water, 

 insisting that every black bass that has been gilled will die, or will be just as good 

 as dead when it gets to the net. lie enters a severe indictment against the bass. 

 claiming that they have pronounced cannibalistic instinct, and are the most vora- 

 cious destroyers of young fish and spawn on the river. As they increase under 

 the protection of the law, the other varieties will decrease. So between the 

 cannibals and their protection, other species will be destroyed and black bass 

 placed in the ascendency. Mr. Lawrence -ays black bass were nevei so plentiful 

 as on the Illinois; and the great increase is due to the thorough protection of them." 



