XXIX -REPORT OF SHAD OPERATIONS CONDUCTED AT FORT 

 WASHINGTON, MARYLAND, IN THE SPRING OF 1883. 



By Lieut. William C. Babcock, U. S. N. 



I have the honor to make the followiDg report of operations conducted 

 at Fort Washington, Md., under the direction of the Commissioner, in the 

 collection of shad eggs on the Potomac Eiver during the spring of lb 83: 



The honorable Secretary of War liaving, at the request of the U. S. 

 Commission of Fish and Fisheries, granted to it permission to occupy 

 the buildings belonging to the United States at Fort Washington, Md., 

 it was deemed best to establish there a station for the collection of fish 

 eggs on the upper Potomac as far down as Chapman's Point, Md. 



The method heretofore followed had been to quarter the spawn-takers 

 on the fishing shores, a steamer making daily visits to each to collect 

 the eggs that had been procured. There were many objections to this, 

 on account of expense, lack of system in collection, and bad feeling 

 among the fishermen. Therefore, a station was established having Fort 

 Washington, Md., as headquarters, with a force of nine men: 4 first- 

 class spawn-takers, 3 second-class spawn-takers, 1 apprentice spawn- 

 taker, and 1 cook,- to which was afterwards added a steam-launch, with 

 a crew of 2 men. Two tents, 7 bateaux, a large number of pans, crates, 

 buckets, &c., completed the outfit. The men were comfortably quar- 

 tered in barracks near the fort, and transported daily by the steam- 

 launch to the several fishing-shores, returning to the fort with the eggs 

 collected. 



I found a decided prejudice existing among the fishermen because 

 the elements had not been favorable last year. As it could not be at- 

 tributed to anything else, in their minds, the fishermen seemed to have 

 selected the Commission to bear all the blame, and therefore demanded 

 exorbitant prices for the right of collecting fish eggs on their shores, 

 saying the injury to the fish was great and the amount of damage could 

 not be estimated. In one instance the owner of a fishing-shore declined 

 to sell any fish to the employes of the United States Fish Commission 

 for the full market-price at his shore. Matters were finally arranged in 

 a satisfactory manner, and, as everything has been done to aid and con- 

 ciliate the fishermen, even they in time must be convinced that the 

 efforts of the Commission are intended for their benefit. Such antag- 

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