216 



THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



Hats at Monornoy Point. These were purchased at Chatham wharf by 

 fish firms at the price of $2 per barrel. 



The winter clam fishery of Chatham was once an important industry, 

 which started in 1875 when clams were in great demand as fish bait. 

 The following' table shows how this industry has declined: — 



i«»o; 



Number of men, . 

 Annual production (luisluUj 

 Value of production, . 

 Price per bushel (cents), 

 Capital invested, . 



10 



1,500 



$1,200 



80 



$400 



Owing to the large amount of clams dug by fishing vessels, the fol- 

 lowing restrictions were incorporated in 1881 as a State law, which 

 reads as follows : — 



No fisherman or any other person shall take from the towns of Chatham 

 and Nantucket any shellfish, for bait or other use, except clams and a shell- 

 fish commonly known by the name of horse feet, and no quantity exceeding 

 seven bushels of clams, including shells or one hundred of said horse feet 

 shall be taken in one week for each vessel or craft, nor in any case without 

 a permit being first obtained from the selectmen of the town. 



Summary of In 

 Number of men, 

 Capital invested, 

 Production, 1907: — 



Bushels, 



Value, . 

 Total area (acres) : — 



Sand, . 



Mud, . 



Gravel, 



Mussels and eel grass, 



Total, . 

 Productive area (acres) : — 



Good clamming, . 



Scattering clams, 

 Barren area possibly productive (acres) 

 Waste barren area (acres), 

 Possible normal production, 



DUSTRY. 



10 

 $400 



1,500 

 $1,200 



330 



10 

 20 



360 



10 



50 



300 



$44,000 



