Report on InUiiul Fisheries. 9 



CONCLUSION. 



During the time wc have been interested in fish culture we have visted 

 numerous piscatorial establishments in different States, and have found 

 only two that could be called a complete success, — Seth Greene's at Cale- 

 donia, Livingston country, New York, and the one at Bloomsburg, New 

 Jersey, then under the supervision of Dr. Slack, since deceased. 



At neither of these places do they lose any tish during the trying sum- 

 mer months. This success is attributable to the inexhaustible supply of 

 pure water during the entire year. Any one contemplating fish culture 

 we would advise to visit these model establishments and there witness 

 fish culture in its success. 



The Commissioners have had their attention called to a plan for the 

 improvement of the fisheries in the inland waters as follows : 



It is proposed that all ponds, reservoirs, etc., in the State be divided 

 into three classes. Certain ponds in each county, one-third of them as 

 near as may be, be set apart for fishing in each year. The first year, 

 one-third of these ponds are allowed to be fished, all the others are closed ; 

 the second year another third are to be opened for fishing, all others 

 closed ; the third, the remaining third are to be fished, the rest closed. 

 This plan, it is claimed, gives two years' rest to each and every pond in 

 the State, and the friends of the measure claim that the gain will be found 

 in the increase of fish in the ponds so let alone for two years. The 

 parties urging this are practical men and have the best interests of the 

 inland fisheries at heart. The Commissioners have only to say in the 

 matter, that in case such a law seems proper it becomes absolutel}' neces- 

 sary for the State to appoint an oiticer or fish warden, ivith salary, whose 

 duty it shall be to see that these several close-times on the various ponds 

 (numbering some one hundred and forty) shall be strictly observed, and 

 farther that in all cases it is better for all waters, that the larger growth 

 of fish be removed each year, for nothing is so destructive to young fish 

 as what may be termed the overgrown ones, sa^' in the pickerel tribe, 

 from three to five pounds, and in bass and trout about the same. 



We are glad to report a constantly increasing interest by the people 

 at large in our labors, and a disposition on the part of the community to 

 observe all laws made for the benefit of the fisheries, and at tlie request 

 of the " State Association for the Protection of Game and Fish," (a soci- 

 ety recently formed, now numbering some one hundred members, and 

 constantly increasing, and destined to work much good we are sure, in 

 the community) the following amendments to Chapters 282 and 495 of 

 the General Statutes are recommended : 

 2 



