2U-1 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



89.— CATCH OF SHAD IIV THE HUD80IV RITER FOR 18S5. 



By E. G. BLACKFORD. 



The statistics of tbe catch of shad in the Upper Hudson, which ex- 

 tends from Albany to Highland Falls (some 2 miles below West Point), 

 were compiled by Mr. Matthew Kennedy, of Hudson, X. Y., and those 

 for the Lower Hudson, which extends from Peekskill to Xew York Bay, 

 were collected by Mr. Joseph H. Godwin, jr., of Kiugsbridge, N. Y. 

 The above gentlemen took account of all shad caught in the Hudson 

 and sent to other than New York markets. In New York City Mr. W. 

 H. Faulhaber obtained statistics of all shad on the west side of the city, 

 while the iigures for the east side, comprising Fulton Market and vi- 

 cinity, were gathered by Mr. L. T. Herrmann. A summary of these 

 statistics is as follows : 



Sold in the New York markets 796,312 



Additional catch in the Upper Hudson 276, 273 



Additional catch in the Lower Hudson 102, 250 



Total -..- 1,174,835 



The average price of the catch for the season was S15 j)er hundred, 

 making the total value of the catch at wholesale prices $176,225.25. 



From information received from fishermen and shippers it seems that 

 the catch in the upper portion of the river shows a decrease of about 

 40 per cent as compared with the previous five years , and between 

 Albany and Barrytown the catch this year as compared with that of 

 five years ago is one-half less, and with ten years shows a decrease of 

 about two-thirds. Less fishing is done on this account, some grounds 

 being entirely abandoned, and others but i^artially fished. South of 

 Barrytown, however, there is an increase in the number of nets and 

 fisliermeu, which makes it all the more difiicult for the shad to reach 

 their natural spawning grounds. 



The fishermen report the season also a poor one in the lower part of 

 the river, the principal reason given being the cold weather during the 

 early part of the season, when the best catches are usually made. Dur- 

 ing the early run of the fish, moreover, the nets were more or less 

 choked up with a weed or grass (called "oakum") from the bottom, 

 which occasioned great inconvenience and prevented the taking of 

 many fish. More shad were taken by drift-nets and fykes in shallow 

 water and on the flats than for several years before. This is perhaps 

 due to the fish leaving the cold deep water and seeking for warmth in 

 the shallow waters. 



Brooklyn, N. Y., Avgvst 13, 1885. 



