50 



THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



to 1890 the production remained about constant. The production in 

 1879 for Massachusetts, as given by A. Howard Clark, totaled 11,050 

 bushels, valued at $5,525. It is only in the last fifteen to twenty years 

 that the actual development of the quahaug fishery has taken place. 

 The present production of Massachusetts is 144,044 bushels, valued 

 at $194,687. To the popular demand for the " little neck " can be 

 attributed the rapid development of the quahaug industry during the 

 last ten years. This development has furnished employment for hun- 

 dreds of men, and has given the quahaug an important value as a sea 

 food. What it will lead to is easily seen. The maximum production 

 was passed a few years ago, constant overfishing caused by an exces- 

 sive demand is destroying the natural supply, and there will in a few 

 years be practically no commercial fishery, unless measures are taken 

 to increase the natural supply. Quahaug farming offers the best solu- 

 tion at the present time, and gives promise of permanent success. 



The following statistics, taken from the United States Fish Com- 

 mission reports, show the rapidity of the development of the quahaug 

 fishery : — 



Date. 



Bushels. 



Value. 



Price (Cents). 



1S79, 

 1S87, 

 1888, 

 1898, 

 1902, 

 1905, 



11,050 

 35,540 

 26.1G5 

 63,817 

 106.81S 

 L66.526 



$5,525 

 21,363 

 14,822 

 50,724 

 131,139 

 288,987 



50.0 

 60.0 

 Bfi.5 

 79.5 

 124.0 

 155.0 



Not only has there been an increase in production, but also an in- 

 crease in price, as can be seen from the above table, which shows that 

 the price has more than doubled between 1888 and 1902. This increase 

 in price has alone supported a declining fishery in many towns, making 

 it still profitable for quahaugers to keep in the business, in spite of a 

 much smaller catch. The advance in price is due both to the natural 

 rise in the value of food products during the past twenty-five years and 

 also to the popular demand for the " little neck," or small quahaug. 



State Laws. — There are no State laws governing the quahaug fishery, 

 except the regulations of the State Board of Health in regard to sewage 

 pollution in Acushnet River and Boston Harbor. 



Town Laws. — Regulation of the quahaug fisheiy was given to each 

 town by the State under the general shellfish act of 1880; the industry 

 is therefore entirely governed under the by-laws of the town. 



An interesting comparison can be made between the quahaug regu- 

 lations of the different towns. Good, useless and harmful laws exist 

 side by side. One town will pass excellent regulations, and enforce 

 them; another town will make the same, but never trouble to see that 



