Blackford. — The Shad Problem 13 



Next to this over-fishing, the most important factors in 

 the destruction of the shad are the erection of dams which 

 debar them from their spawning grounds, and the reck- 

 less pollution of the streams. In regard to the building 

 of dams to furnish power, it may be said that the pro- 

 duction of power for mills, factories and electricity is 

 more important than the conservation of a fishery, and 

 much force lies in this plea, but there is nothing that can 

 be said in favor of stream pollution. Not only does this 

 destroy a valuable food resource by killing the fishes in 

 the streams, but it imperils the lives of all who live along 

 the streams, and in many instances the polluting material 

 is a sheer waste of substances that could be used. But 

 a few years have passed since laws were enacted to pro- 

 hibit gas works and oil refineries from throwing their 

 refuse into streams. This prohibition led these plants to 

 seek modes of utilizing their waste material, and now 

 many of these by-products are as profitable as were the 

 primary output. Millions of tons of sewage that has 

 great fertilizing value are annually thrown away by our 

 towns and cities with no result save the endangering of 

 health and the destruction of the fisheries. The only ex- 

 cuse is that it is a convenient mode of disposal, but this 

 argument would permit the use of the streets as a place 

 of deposit for the dirt from abutting houses. The waste 

 matters thrown into the streams fills up the interstices in 

 which fish eggs would have been deposited and thus 

 mechanically interferes with laying the spawn. It favors 

 the growth of bacteria that may cause diseases among 

 the fishes, and in the process of its decay it robs the 

 water of oxygen and replaces it with carbon dioxide and 

 other poisonous gases while filling the water with toxins 

 that endanger all animal life. The stupid folly of our 

 governing bodies in permitting these conditions to con- 

 tinue is almost beyond belief. 



The only means available at present of offsetting these 

 destructive agencies is by artificially hatching shad fry; 

 a process that is not difficult of accomplishment. It is 

 almost too late for this means to be used, however, be- 



