Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1919 — AIRPLANES SPY OUT HIDDEN FISH [ARTICLE]

AIRPLANES SPY OUT HIDDEN FISH

Schools That Escape the Eye in Crow’s Nest Readily Seen From Plane. USE IN CATCHES IS SHOWN Flight Made by Navy Craft Bare* Worth as Locator and Tims Saver —Act as Quids to Steamers. New York—A new use for airplanes had been found. Schools of fish for which the fishing fleets along the coast may search vainly for days can be detected from a seaplane, according to a report by W. W. Welsh of the bureau of fisheries. The report of Mr. Welsh followed a trip he made In a naval seaplane from the Cape May naval air station. The flight was made at from 500 to 1,000 feet and at a speed of 70 miles an hour. At the time of the flight no schooling fish were breaking water on the surface, and none could be seen from the crow’s nest of a vessel or from fishing'piers. “The plane ascended rapidly to about 800 feet, and most of the trip was made at that altitude,” Mr. Welsh reported. “Few schools of fish were seen at fiVst, but as my eye grew accustomed to the conditions many small schools of menhaden jvere observed, all moving at some depth, and none of them breaking water. Some schools were so near the surface that they appeared as a reddish brown granular mass, amebCid in character and changing form constantly.

Large Schools Observed.

“Deeper schools had the appearance of large masses of sunken gtßfweed, and others were so deep that they could be distinguished chiefly by the shadow they caused on the suspended particles in the water. From a comparison with other objects seen at known depths it is estimated that the depth of the schools varied from about two feet to ten feet, or possibly more. “One school of silver fish was observed breaking water. Those were possibly weakflsh, certainly not menhaden, as they lacked the characteristic color of the latter." *A school of porpoises was clearly seen and could be followed under water. The most evident opportunity for the practical use*q£ aircraft in the commercial fisheries at the present time lies in their employment as scouts for the purse-seine fishermen, in the pursuit of such species as menhaden, mackerel, bluefish, bluebacks, kyacks and other schooling fish. In the case of the spring mackerel fishery It Is believed that the use of aircraft would save much time in locating the fish upon their first appearance and in enabling the flshennen to keep In touch with the fish as they appeared farther north. The chief service rendered would be notification of fishermen of the general vicinity of the schools and It would require actual trial and practice to determine how much could be done in directing the fishing vessels to particular schools by means of radiotelephone or other methods of signaling.

Most Promising Field.

“It would appear that the menhaden fishery offers the most promising field for experiment in this direction. In the case of a region like the mouth of Chesapeake bay, where there are large menhaden Interests, and where there is a naval air station conveniently located, the conditions would seem to be excellent for the development of tactics in the use of aircraft to assist fishing operations. The benefit to the fishing fleet would be in time and fuel saved in the searching for fish and In the concentration of effort on large schools Instead of wasting time on small, scattered bunches of fish. “It is quite possible also that schools of large fish might be distinguished from those of smaller, leaner fish, although this would require experience in observation. Another field for experiment would He in the guidance of fishing steamers to large schools not visible from the crosstrees, but plainly visible from aircraft, and communication by means of wireless telephone, harking buoys or othey devices would enable the boats to set the seine around the fisfl invisible to them. Such co-operation would be of great advantage to the naval air service as well as to the flshlng interests, as it would provide for the naval aviators excellent practice in scouting, station finding and communication.”