30 



Herring River, Harwich, has shown increasing receipts. Aga- 

 \v;iin River since 1865 has brought an average return of $655.47, 

 the highest net receipt being $1,352.50 in 1892, and the lowest, 

 $55 in 1911. Both fisheries have maintained a high level, as 

 did Monument River until 1912, when the construction of the 

 Cape Cod Canal caused a most serious decline. In Jones River, 

 between 1874 and 1913, the average revenue was S3 1.64, the 

 highest being $101 in 1877 and 1881, and the lowest $12.33 in 

 1913, or, roughly, 12 per cent of the maximum. In North River 

 the two seining privileges of Marshfield, which for the thirty 

 years previous to 1900 averaged $34.85, from 1900 to 1912 

 brought an average of $3.40, or about 10 per cent of their 

 former value. 



Previous to 1875 the thirteen seining privileges in the Taun- 

 ton River could not be sold legally for less than $100 apiece, 

 and under sharp competition always sold at a high premium. 

 At this date, owing to the ■scarcity of fish, a law was passed 

 which allowed the various cities and towns to sell the fishery 

 privileges at any price. During the past decade the three 

 fishing privileges of the city of Taunton have sold for $5 apiece. 



Average Annual Revenue to Towns from Alewife Fisheries. 



Production. — The accompanying table gives the approxi- 

 mate production for 1912, and the revenue derived by the towns 

 from the various Massachusetts streams and ponds which at 



