Belding. — Stocking State Waters 139 



dustries were scattered along the smaller streams. In 

 order to supply water power numerous dams were con- 

 structed, in most instances unprovided with suitable fish- 

 ways, thus preventing the passage of such fish as the 

 salmon, shad, striped bass, alewife, smelt and white perch 

 up the coastal streams to their spawning grounds. In this 

 way not only the supply of these fish has been depleted, 

 but the commercial sea fisheries have been indirectly af- 

 fected by destroying a food supply which attracted the 

 larger predaceous fish to the shores. Manufacturing 

 wastes and sewage, particularly in central Massachusetts, 

 have totally ruined many streams, and have seriously de- 

 pleted the supply of fish in others by rendering the water 

 unfit for fish life. Numerous legislative measures have 

 been enacted in the past, but the decline has steadily con- 

 tinued, since these laws were either inadequate, or, as 

 was more often the case, not enforced. Likewise, over- 

 fishing has seriously depleted local supplies, and in Massa- 

 chusetts has accelerated the general decline which is so 

 marked in the Merrimac, Charles, Taunton and Connecti- 

 cut Rivers. 



Soon after the establishment of the Massachusetts 

 Department of Fisheries and Game, in 1866, salmon and 

 shad hatcheries were located on the principal rivers as 

 long as any native fish remained; but during the last 

 twenty years brook trout have formed the main output 

 of the state hatcheries. These fish, reared in variable 

 quantities, were indiscriminately dumped into ponds or 

 streams at the request of individuals, who filled out brief 

 descriptions of the waters in question. Lack of funds 

 make it impossible to examine these waters, and reliance 

 had to be placed on the judgment of unskilled observers. 

 In many cases this hit-or-miss stocking was successful, 

 in others a failure, resulting in financial loss. 



The chief objections to indiscriminate stocking may be 

 enumerated as folows: (1) Stocking private ponds and 

 streams from which the public are excluded. (2) Inten- 

 tional distribution of fish by the applicant in other waters 

 than called for by the petition. (3) Stocking badly pol- 



