STATISTICS OF THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



413 



Considering the persons employed in various capacities in the fishing industry, 

 the statistics show an increase over J 880 amounting to about 51,000 persons. The 

 principal increase, aggregating 30,832 persons, occurred in the Middle Atlantic States, 

 although all the other geographical sections, except New England and the Pacific 

 coast, show a substantial gain. The decrease in New England is only 18 persons, and 

 that in the Pacific States is also insignificant, being only 32. 



The amount of capital invested in the fishing industry is at present much larger 

 than in 1880, the increase amounting to about $20,285,000. This is due largely to the 

 employment of improved types of vessels, the use of greater quantities of the most 

 modern and expensive forms of apparatus, and the building of new factories, can- 

 neries, and other shore establishments directly connected with the fisheries. A 

 larger investment is to be observed in every region, except the New England States, 

 where there has been a diminution amounting to about $78,000. In the Middle At- 

 lantic region the increased investment is $6,720,000, while in the Pacific States, with 

 a relatively small investment, the augmentation in the capital devoted to the industry 

 is $6,125,000. 



Comparing the present value of the products of the United States fisheries with 

 their value in 1880, an advance is to be noted, which, while not relatively so large as 

 the increase in the fishing population and the invested capital, is, perhaps, not dis- 

 couraging, in view of the recent scarcity of three of the most important objects of 

 fishery in 1880, viz, mackerel, fur seals, and whales. The increased value of the yield 

 amounts to about $6,630,000. The fisheries of New England have decreased in value 

 to the extent of $64,000, while every other region presents an increase, varying from 

 $333,000 in the South Atlantic States to $2,687,000 in the Middle Atlantic States. 



The following table shows the extent of the fisheries of the United States in 1880 

 and at the present time, together with the number of persons employed, the amount of 

 capital invested, and the value of the catch in each State and each geographical region : 



Comparative summary of the fisheries of the United States in 1880 and IS'J,.'. 





States. 



New England : 



Maine 



New Hampshire 

 Massachusetts.. 

 Rhode Island . . - 

 Connecticut 



Total 



Middle Atlantic : 



New York 



New Jersey 



Pennsylvania. . . 



Delaware 



Maryland 



Virginia 



Total 



South Atlantic : 

 North Carolina . 

 South Carolina . 



Georgia 



Florida 



Total 



Persons employed. 



1880. 



11,071 

 414 



20, 117 

 2,310 

 3,131 



37, 043 



6,344 



6,220 



438 



1,979 



26, 008 



18, 864 



59, 853 



5, 274 



1,005 



899 



368 



7.546 



1892. 



15, 128 

 373 



17, 025 

 1,584 

 2, 915 



37, 025 



12, 246 

 10,433 

 2, 220 

 2,247 

 39, 944 

 23, 595 



90, 685 



10, 274 

 2, 701 

 1, G22 

 1,541 



16, 138 



Capital invested. 



1880. 



$3, 375, 994 

 209, 465 



14, 334, 450 



596, 678 



1,421,020 



19, 937, 607 



2. 573, 535 

 1,492,202 

 94, 801 

 268, 231 

 6, 342, 443 

 1,914, 119 



1892. 



$2, 882, 113 

 93, 328 



12, 980, 679 

 1, 034, 467 

 2, 868, 921 



19, 859, 508 



5, 282, 970 

 2, 517, 764 

 976,011 

 218, 129 

 7, 465, 718 

 2, 944, 559 



Value of products. 



1880. 



$2, 742, 571 



176, 684 



7, 959, 760 



696, 814 



933, 242 



12,509,071 



3, 763, 537 

 3, 103, 927 

 276, 600 

 997, 695 

 5,221,715 

 2, 997, 043 



1892. 



$2, 225, 80C 



91,481 



7, 531, 194 



725, 675 



1,871,413 



12, 445, 569 



4, 784, 753 

 3, 625, 890 

 284, 031 

 250, 865 

 6, 460, 759 

 3,641,282 



12, 685, 331 



506, 561 

 66, 275 

 78, 770 

 43, 554 



19,405,151 



1,243,988 

 127, 762 

 174, 431 

 146, 895 



695,160 | 1,693,076 



16, 360, 517 



845, 695 

 212, 482 

 119, 993 



78, 408 



1,256,578 



19, 047, 580 



1,027,669 

 202, 602 

 123, 563 

 236, 060 



1,589,894 



* This year is placed at the head of the columns hecause it is the most recent one to which the statistics relate and 

 the one to which most of the figures apply. The data for the New England, Middle Atlantic, and Pacific States are for 

 that year: those for the South Atlantic States are for 1891, and those for the Gulf region and Great Lakes are for 1890. 



