238 



Was the supply at each favorable station continuously 

 renewed from the vast storehouse of nature, it would make 

 no difference if they were all fished out at any one particu- 

 lar spot a short rest would recuperate the fishery and 

 others would take the place of those which had been 

 caught. As it is, however, when any locality is stripped 

 clean and bare, it remains barren for a long time. Where 

 only a few valuable fish are left, their natural enemies, 

 being as numerous as ever, prevail against them and 

 destroy the last remnant. 



Possibly, after many years of waiting, strangers may 

 work their way in ; but it is a slow operation. If man 

 endeavors to assist the process by artificial cultivation, 

 he has nothing to work upon. He can get no eggs, 

 because the parents are gone. He must import and plant 

 new seed, an undertaking always difficult, and often 

 doubtful. 



Fykes are modified pound nets, and not so injurious 

 unless too many of them are set, or the mesh is too small. 

 They have short wing, and the outer end is kept open 

 with hoops of wood, some being larger and some smaller, 

 so as to make modified traps in which the fish are retain- 

 ed. The objection against them as they are now used is, 

 that they catch the fry on account of the smallness of 

 their mesh. Seines are sweep nets, and are the least in- 

 jurious ot all, as they give the fish a chance to slip by 

 while they are not in use. Another destructive net is 

 the gill net. It is used largely for shad, and is either 

 attached to poles as a permanent and fixed fishing engine, 

 or is floated by the current, suspended in the water. 

 Their length varies between one hundred and eight hun- 

 dred fathoms. The largest of these require but one light 

 skiff, with two, or at most, but three men to manage them. 

 Being constructed of fine twine they are almost imper- 



