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and rafts floating the river from Williamsport and
Cumberland to Georgetown. Thirty to forty barges and boats would leave Cumberland weekly or as long as water was high enough to float these rafts and gentle enough for such traffic. This was going on some years before the beginning of the C&O Canal. During the 1800's rivermen floated agricultural products on makeshift craft built for downriver trips. Hastily and cheaply built, these crude craft were sometimes broken up for disposal. By 1820 mill ' dams and the fish traps were mentioned as causing difficulties in keeping river channels open for boat traffic.
gation had been successful in Europe, so the commissioners decided to introduce carp into Maryland waters. The carp was probably of Asiatic origin, having been cultured in China thousands of years before being brought to Europe. Before 1874 they were scarcely known in America. Fisheries of Maryland had become much depleted in latter years and a vast food supply was greatly diminished. In 1875 they secured carp from the Danube, selecting the best varieties. Perhaps the fact that central Maryland was heavy with Germans, Austrians, and Polish influenced the source of the imported fish. On the first transatlantic crossing, only 23 of the 375 fish survived. Other trips fared better. In 1878 the first distribution into public waters occurred: 20 fish from three to five inches. From 1878 to 1884 quite a number were reared and placed throughout the state. By 1881 thecarp'sfameasan excellent food fish gained wide publicity. With adequate feeding, the fish could be expected to attain 12 to 15 inches in a year's growth. The carp became a nuisance fish in many waters, but became a popular angling sports fish to many and were sought for their cunning in evading the hook; they are a great game fish and unwilling to give up easily.
FISH "LADDERS"
By 1830 civilization brought industry, dams and canals, impeding the movement of fish. By 1866 ruthless destruction added to the above to upset nature's balance. The only types of fish in inland waters were "suckers, fallfish, cats and minnows," according to Gutheim in The Potomac. Every effort was made to help the passage of migratory fish upstream. Because there was no fish migration to the waters above Great Falls, fish ladders were considered as a means to help fish migrate above Great Falls. Here the Fall Line is 80 or more feet high. In 1876, an attempt was made to erect a fish ladder, but authorities saw that a ladder would be washed away like straw. Thoughts again turned to fish ladders between 1952 and 1955 over Little Falls dam. Maryland reminded the Corps of Engineers that Maryland law required a ladder; Federal law was supreme, and the ladder would not be built. However, a ladder was built at Little Falls, because Gov. McKeldin reminded the Secretary of the Army that Federal Control pertained to three areas only: flood control, navigation, and power development. The shad did not migrate as far as Little Falls, so the ladder was ineffective and ended thoughts of using ladders at Great Falls.
A CANAL PASSAGE FOR FISH MIGRATION?
The feasibility of using the C&O Canal to get shad around the bottleneck at Great Falls was seen as not suitable. LICENSES REQUIRED
The 1916 Annual Report states that a statewide license system for all kinds of nets was required. A license was required also to support hatchery and pond work in hook and line fish propagation. A 1927 state license law was enacted and enforced. A MARYLAND FIRST NEAR BRUNSWICK
WOULD A CHANNEL HELP?
Maryland's first fish farm pond stocking was made in 1917 in a pond near Brunswick. For a long time the Potomac waters at Brunswick have hosted many fishermen for a large area.
In 1876 constructing a channel around Great Falls was studied. By 1879 nothing was done to this end, and the idea of channel and fish ladder came to naught.
S - Albert Powell
W-MMM
STOCKING FISH
The Commission on Fisheries, organiz.ed in 1874, was to stock the waters with food fish. Carp propa-
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