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  The 
  greatest 
  injury, 
  however, 
  which 
  is 
  done 
  to 
  our 
  waters 
  

   of 
  the 
  Chesapeake 
  bay 
  and 
  tributaries, 
  without 
  any 
  compen* 
  

   sation 
  whatsoever 
  to 
  our 
  citizens, 
  is 
  the 
  capture 
  of 
  fish 
  

   throughout 
  the 
  year 
  by 
  means 
  of 
  haul 
  seines 
  and 
  purse 
  nets, 
  

   operated 
  b}' 
  parties 
  who 
  come 
  into 
  the 
  bay 
  with 
  vessels 
  well 
  

   supplied 
  with 
  ice, 
  capture 
  the 
  fish 
  and 
  take 
  them 
  to 
  other 
  

   markets. 
  

  

  Immense 
  numbers 
  of 
  fish 
  are 
  taken 
  by 
  this 
  class, 
  citizens 
  

   of 
  other 
  States, 
  every 
  year, 
  and 
  carried 
  to 
  Philadelphia 
  and 
  

   New 
  York, 
  and 
  there 
  is 
  not 
  the 
  remotest, 
  even 
  tempo- 
  

   rary, 
  benefit 
  tliat 
  the 
  State 
  derives 
  from 
  the 
  depletion 
  

   of 
  her 
  waters, 
  as 
  the 
  fish 
  arc 
  taken 
  by 
  non-residents 
  who 
  

   seldom 
  have 
  any 
  communication 
  with 
  the 
  shore, 
  except, 
  

   perhaps, 
  to 
  land 
  their 
  nets 
  in 
  defiance 
  of 
  the 
  wishes 
  of 
  the 
  

   proprietors 
  of 
  the 
  land. 
  

  

  CONCLUSION. 
  

  

  In 
  conclusion, 
  I 
  would 
  repeat, 
  as 
  the 
  result 
  of 
  the 
  more 
  

   close 
  observation 
  of 
  the 
  past 
  two 
  years, 
  the 
  causes 
  to 
  which 
  

   I 
  attribute 
  the 
  decrease 
  in 
  the 
  fish 
  yield 
  of 
  our 
  waters, 
  and 
  

   the 
  remedies 
  suggested 
  therefor, 
  namely 
  — 
  

   ''1st. 
  Excessive 
  fishing. 
  

  

  2d. 
  The 
  cutting 
  ofi' 
  of 
  the 
  migratory 
  fishes 
  from 
  their 
  

   spawning 
  beds. 
  

  

  3d. 
  The 
  disturbing 
  of 
  the 
  breeding 
  fish 
  on 
  their 
  spawn- 
  

   ing 
  beds. 
  

  

  4th. 
  The 
  destruction 
  of 
  spawn, 
  by 
  washings 
  from 
  culti- 
  

   vated 
  fields, 
  and 
  natural 
  enemies. 
  

  

  5th. 
  The 
  destruction 
  of 
  young 
  fish, 
  by 
  improper 
  means 
  

   and 
  modes 
  of 
  capture. 
  

  

  The 
  remedies 
  are 
  — 
  

  

  1st. 
  Artificial 
  propagation 
  to 
  supply 
  the 
  excessive 
  drain 
  

   caused 
  by 
  increased 
  population, 
  and 
  improved 
  means 
  of 
  cap- 
  

   ture. 
  

  

  2d. 
  By 
  prohibiting 
  all 
  fishing 
  with 
  nets, 
  seines 
  or 
  fixed 
  

   apparatus 
  for 
  thirty-six 
  hours 
  in 
  each 
  week, 
  during 
  the 
  

   migrations 
  of 
  anadromus 
  fishes, 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  give 
  a 
  sufficient 
  

  

  