THE FISH HOGS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 34, 3 November 1917, Page 10

THE FISH HOGS

GERMANS' SEINING OPERATIONS IN FRANCE. Mr. Henry Woods, the special correspondent of tho United Press of America, writes:— . . Germany's latest effort at sucking dry every inch, of the invaded regions of France before she is obliged to evacuate them has just oomo to light in the discovery that the canals and rivers of Northern France are being seined of absolutely every eatable fish. While this latest barbarity might be explained in partly the critical food situation of the Germans, there is evidence that this is not the sole motive. The task of leaving the French rivers and canals Ashless is being pushed with the same systematic thoroughness ■ and attention to detail which characterised tho efforts of the Germans preceding their retreat Inst March to leave behind them a desolate wildorness, in which tho French might not find either a mouthful of food or an ounce of material that would bo of servico to them'; ' a, The discovery that the numerous riv-*j era and canals of the district evacuated by the Germans had suffered the same fate as the ground was only made'when the French recently undertook, the task of rendering those waterways navigable after the German destruction of bridges, locks, embankments, and barges. The necessity of draining dry many of the canals and portions of river beds rendered unusable by the Germans has brought to light numerous fish traps, seines, barriers, and other appliances used by the Germans in order to catch absolutely every fish. Frequently the canals and rivers were divided up into sections, with barriers across each end in order to render impossible the escape of a single fish. Evidence has also been found of the use of explosive for.stunning the fish and bringing them to tho surface, where they were raked in with hand-nets. Previous to the German invasion the canals, rivers, and waterways had been brought td a high state of fish productiveness, both by stocking them and the enforcement of practical laws regarding fishing. The one idea dominating the Germans appears to have been to secure for their immediate use nil the fish food available, and at the same time rendering it certain that it would be years before the French would again be able to restock the rivers and canals to their former plenlifulness.