1038 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [4] 



struction in the berth. The shad taken were placed in large live-boxes. 

 The females invariably died a few hours afterwards ; the male shad were 

 kept for a week in fine condition, an accident to the live-boxes causing 

 their escape. Compared with Harron's seine, the new seine was a great 

 success ; it caught 231 shad in eight days at the end of the season ; his 

 caught only 752 in forty-one days at the best time of the year. We 

 were too late, liowever, to realize any great results, for most of the 

 female shad taken were blighted or had already spawned ; had we been 

 ready a week sooner we could have saved from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 

 of shad eggs by keeping the male shad alive in the boxes. A few her- 

 ring, small rock, mullets, and catfish were the only other fish taken in 

 the seine. 



The seine is now complete and on hand ; it can be put into the water in 

 a few days if necessary ; to work it will cost the Commission about $11 

 l^er day ; if it is hauled from May 1 to June 10 it ought to yield very 

 good results, especially when the other seines are removed. A seine- 

 boat will be required, costing about $250, and two capstans at $8 each; 

 these articles, with the material on hand, will complete the outfit. 



About 300 yards to the northward and eastward of the light-house 

 there is a bank of iron ore projecting out on the east side of the chan- 

 nel at the depth of 54 feet ; soundings right off the bank show 72 feet ; 

 if two iron bells (mushroom anchors) are placed upon it they will keep 

 the seine from fouling. The seine can be hauled well only at dead high 

 water or on the ebb tide ; when the ebb tides are early the hauls are not 

 favorable for spawning fish. The range of the seines near Fort Wash- 

 ington is such that there is almost a regular succession of hauls during 

 the entire day. 



In view of the comparatively small expense and the advantages 

 ofl'ered by the Fort Washington seine, especially as to the capture of 

 male shad at a time of the year — i. e., at the end of the fishing season — 

 when it is well-nigh impossible to obtain them, I think it would be well 

 for the Commission to maintain a seine from May 1 to the end of the 

 season. If it is desired to continue the experiment in regard to penning 

 shad, it might be well to haul the seine as soon as the season opens. 



In this report allusion has been made to the collection of shad eggs 

 only, as they could be procured in large numbers. Attempts were 

 made at tbe eud of the shad season to obtain eggs of the sturgeon and 

 otber flsh(?s, but they were unsuccessful, as none of those taken were 

 found to be in spawning condition. On the 9th of June we stopped 

 seining, and on the 20th, the fishing season being entirely ended, the 

 station was closed and the outfit returned to Washington. 



In conclusion, I wish to speak most favorably of the merits of Mr. 

 James Carswell, who had immediate charge of the spawn-taking force. 

 His ability and energy in the position he occupied were such that I 

 would especially recommend him to your consideration, 



