92 



argy. A special committee was formed to sell the fishery under 

 a one-year lease, and after paying operating expenses, to turn 

 any surplus into the town treasury*. Two privileges were sold, 

 one on Smelt Brook, and one at the Hurd Factory on Jones 

 River. Up to 1909, in view of the decline of the fishery, no 

 sale was made. Since then attempts have been made to put 

 all the fish possible over the dams for spawning, and in 1913 

 an appropriation of $100 was made by the town to encourage 

 the building of fishways. Alewives which at present ascend 

 Jones River spawn either in Crossman's Pond or in the small 

 ponds such as McLaughlin's on Furnace Brook. 



Recommendations. — The alewife fishery of Jones River may 

 be restored to its former value if fishw-ays are installed at the 

 two dams on the main river, and at the dams on Smelt, Fur- 

 nace and Stony brooks. Provision should be made for dispos- 

 ing of trade waste from the factories in other manner than by 

 emptying it into the stream. The town of Kingston had the 

 right idea in declaring a closed season in 1909, but its benefi- 

 cial effects were not permanent because suitable fishways were 

 not provided at the above-mentioned dams. 



The fishery on Smelt Brook particularly may be increased in 

 value by providing a suitable fishway at Russell's Pond, by 

 preventing the entrance of polluting material, and by enforcing 

 a closed season of five years, during which the fish would be 

 allowed free and unmolested passage to the spa\\Tiing grounds. 



Town Brook. 



Town Brook, Plymouth, rises in Billington Sea, and flows 

 1^ miles to Plymouth Harbor. It is used chiefly for power and 

 for carrying away trade waste from the mills and factories, 

 and rubbish from the private residences along its course. Be- 

 tween Billington Sea and Plymouth Harbor are eight dams and 

 factories. 



Alewives are taken in a trap at its entrance into Plymouth 

 Harbor. The spawning grounds are in Billington Sea and in 

 Little Pond, with which the former is connected. The numer- 

 ous dams without fishways upon Town Brook make necessary 

 the annual transfer of 4,000 alewives to the spawning grounds 

 in Billington Sea by the purchaser of the fishery. 



