NEW YORK: SOUTH SHORE OF LONG ISLAND. 373 



ROCKVILLE CENTRE. Eockville Centre Las twenty fishermen, of whom twelve are married 

 and have families, averaging five persons each; $2,500 are invested in boats and 83,000 in nets; 

 3,000 pounds of eels, 120,000 pounds of fresh fish, 200 barrels of hard crabs, and 300 dozen soft 

 crabs comprised the last year's catch. 



PEARSALL'S. Four men from this locality are engaged in the fisheries and twenty persons 

 depend upon them ; 8600 are invested in boats and $1,500 in nets. The products for last year were 

 as follows; Eels, 1,000 pounds ; fresh fish, 20,000 pounds ; hard crabs, 300 barrels ; soft crabs, 1,000 

 dozen. 



FAR ROCKAWAY AND LAWRENCE. These places, which are only a mile apart, have six fish- 

 ermen, of whom four are married, and twenty persons in all dependent on the fisheries. About 

 $500 are invested in boats and $1,000 in nets. The catch for 1880 was: Eels, 3,000 pounds; fresh 

 fish, 50,000 pounds; hard crabs, 400 barrels; soft crabs, 1,000 dozen. 



HEWLETT'S. At this place and Woodsburg, one-half a mile distant, are ten fishermen, eight 

 of whom are married, and thirty-five people depend on the fisheries. There are $600 invested 

 in boats and 81,500 in nets. The catch consisted of 5,000 pounds of eels, 100,000 pounds of fresh 

 fish, 500 barrels of hard crabs, and 800 dozen soft crabs. 



E. THE WEST END OF LONG ISLAND. 



131. EXPLANATORY STATEMENT. 



The remaining portion of the island, which is here included in the "West End," begins on the 

 south, at Rockaway Beach, and includes Jamaica, Sheepshead, and Gravesend Bays. The report 

 does not include the drift and stake net fisheries for shad in New York Bay, as it is not practicable 

 to separate the interests of the New York and New Jersey fishermen in the bay. The shore fishing 

 practically stops at Fort Hamilton. The East River is too swift to admit of the use of nets, and it 

 affords no fishing, except to anglers, who go out in small boats for weakfish and other species. 



132. JAMAICA BAY. 



This bay is deeply indented in the coast and is filled with islands. Its waters are generally 

 shallow and its northern shore is marshy. It is inclosed on the south by Rockaway Beach, a 

 fashionable watering place. The principal villages are Canarsie and Flatlauds. The inlet has 

 moved 3 miles to the westward within the past twenty years. Scallops and terrapin were taken 

 in the bay in former years, but more of the former are obtained at present and of the latter only 

 an occasional one is secured. Mussels are gathered in considerable quantities around the islands. 

 They are not used for manure, as in the South Bay, but are sent to New York and Newark, N. J., 

 where a portion of them are eaten fresh and the remainder are pickled. Not many fish are shipped, 

 most of them being consumed near homo. Some Spanish mackerel used to be taken, but for the 

 last ten years only occasional specimens have been secured. Sheepshead are scarce, notwithstand- 

 ing the splendid mussel beds, which might be expected to attract them. Eels are moderately 

 plenty, and are taken in pots made with hoops and netting, as well as in fine-meshed seines and 

 with spears. The fishermen say that the eels do not bed in the bay as they did formerly, some 

 attributing it to the disturbance of the water caused by the passing of sail and steam boats, and 

 others to the jar of railroad trains running to Rockaway Beach and to Canarsie. Oyster beds were 



