FisJi Culture in Inland Waters 



211 



The foregoing are but few of many examples indicating conditions 

 of the fisheries before and after interference by the white man, and 

 show to some extent upon what sort of evidence the traditions con- 

 cerning extraordinary abundance of the fish were based. That every 

 body of water was originally replete, to its biological capacity, with 

 fish for which the waters were suited and to which they had access 

 is in accordance with biological laws. It is undoubtedly true that 

 fish have been observed in great numbers in streams accessible from 

 the sea, so numerous in fact that it would almost seem that one could 

 walk across on their backs, but how many fish actually composed 

 such an aggregate is another matter. And when limited inland 

 waters are considered it is still another matter. When the fisherman 

 got 1,500 pounds of salmon at one haul of the seine in Lake Cham- 

 plain, at first thought it may seem to have been a remarkable catch. 

 But if those fish had each weighed 15 pounds, which has been stated 

 to be the average, only about 100 fish were caught. How many fish 

 could have been taken in subsequent hauls throughout the season? 

 The fact that it was recorded as remarkable indicates also that it was 

 unusual even in those early days. It is not stated whether or not 

 the 1,500 fish with which the American Army was " complimented " 

 in one year in 1776 or 1777, were all that were caught. It would 

 appear that probably there were not many, if any, more fishermen 

 in the region at that time. If there were, the question arises as to 

 their success in the salmon fishery. 



After all, the point is that whatever the number of salmon in 

 former years, there are no salmon in those places today. 



Depletion of Fisheries. In the olden days, it has been said, the 

 salmon was a food fish rather than a sportsman's fish. So, also, with 

 many other fishes which are now scarce. It is that fact that has led 

 to the scarcity of many species which are now esteemed alike for 

 their food and game qualities. 



According to traditions, inhabitants of the neighborhood of waters 

 which " teemed " with fish, captured them by the wholesale. The fish 

 were taken primarily for food, usually for home consumption, but 

 sometimes for the market. But those which were not disposed of in 

 those ways were frequently fed to hogs or used for fertilizer. Those 

 inhabitants usually did their fishing at times when the fish could be 

 most easily caught in the greatest numbers. Accordingly the principal 

 fishing operations were at or near the spawning time, when the fish 

 were often wastefully slaughtered. Excessive and untimely fishing 

 were not the only factors concerned in the depletion of fish in lakes 

 and streams. In the old days one of the most potent of other factors 

 was the erection of dams in the streams with no provision for the 

 ascent of fish. Fish which went down stream could not get back. 

 Thus many species were shut out from their breeding places, and un- 

 less other suitable places were found, the fish died out. If suitable 

 spawning places at first existed below sawmill dams, ere long the 

 waters were choked with sawdust and other mill waste. The de- 

 struction of the forests and the drainage of the lakes, ponds and 



