374 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



leased for the first time in 1880. Three acres are leased for $10 per year to each applicant. The 

 clammers object, as the grounds have always been free; bnt soft clams are giving out, and the 

 grounds are more valuable for oysters. 



CANARSIE. There are one hundred " bay men " here, who take fish, clams, mussels, c. 

 About fifty of these fish for cod outside of the bay at certain seasons. There are forty-nine regis- 

 tered boats here, aggregating 343 tons. These cost on an average $800 each. None of them are 

 of over 20 tons burden. Sixteen boats, with three or four men each, fish outside with hand-lines 

 for codfish; they use the "sea" and "razor" clams for bait. The catch of cod, which amounts to 

 10,000 pounds in a season, is shipped to New York by water, all other fresh fish going by wagon. 

 The entire quantity of fresh fish, including coil, taken by the Canarsie fishermen last year, was 

 100,000 pounds; of eels, 15 tons; oysters, 10,000 bushels; hard clams, 10,000 bushels; soft clams, 

 100 bushels; and mussels, 21,000 bushels. The mussel season is from April 1 to the end of July, 

 during which time about 100 barrels go to New York by wagon each night. They are worth 50 

 cents per barrel. Many hard crabs are consumed here, and a few are sent to market, in all about 

 1,000 barrels ; some are kept confined in pens until they have cast their shells, when they are sold 

 at a much higher figure. The men can readily distinguish a "shedder." One dealer ships 500 

 dozen soft crabs per week from June 15 to October 15, the entire catch being 13,000 dozen, having 

 an average value of 02 cents. The value of menhaden taken for manure is 82,000. The capital 

 invested in nets amounts to $10,00n. 



FLATLANDS. This village has forty fishermen; twenty are married and, including the families 

 of the latter, one hundred persons depend on the fisheries. Ten boats, aggregating 80 tons and 

 valued at sGOO each, are employed.; 84,000 are invested in nets and 1,000 in oyster beds. The 

 annual production is about 3,000 bushels of oysters, 4,000 bushels of hard clams, 100 bushels of 

 soft clams, 5,000 bushels of mussels, 10,000 pounds of eels, 50,ooi) pounds of fresh fish, 200 barrels 

 of hard crabs, 2,000 dozen of soft crabs, and *SOI) worth of menhaden for manure. The methods 

 of fishing are the same as at Canarsie. 



133. SHEEPSHEAD BAY. 



This little bay, wL-ich lies to the eastward of Coney Island, was formerly a famous resort for 

 the fish whose name it bears. It is frequented by anglers, by whom many bluefish, weakn'sh, &c., 

 are taken. Two fishermen from Gravesend fish here to supply the local demand. A few men take 

 clams. The yield of the bay, including Coney Islaud Creek, is estimated at 1,000 pounds of eels, 

 5,000 pounds of fresh fish of other species, 100 barrels of hard crabs, 200 dozen of soft crabs, 500 

 bushels of hard clams, and 500 bushels of mussels. This is intended to include the catch both of 

 the fishermen and sportsmen. 



134. GRAVESEND BAY. 



This is an indentation in the lower part of New York Harbor, formed by the western end of 

 Coney Island on the south, and extending to Fort Hamilton, in the Narrows, on the north. Coney 

 Islaud Creek (a small sound) makes in at the lower part. There are no islands in the bay. Shad 

 are taken in pounds, fykes, and gill-nets. Two pounds stand the greater part of the year and four 

 more are put in during the shad season, which lasts from the 1st of April to June. The'se pounds 

 cost $1,000 each, including two sets of netting, one of which is used while the other is being dried 

 and repaired. The shad fykes, which are 9 feet in diameter, are often placed at right angles to 

 the leaders of the pounds, which are very long. The gill-nets are drifted. They have a 5-inch 

 mesh, are 300 fathoms long, and fish 27 feet deep, being valued at $125 apiece. Small fykes are 



