The annual shad catch of every coastal State 

 has fluctuate(i over the years, accorcding to 

 changing conditions within the rivers. The 

 fisheries of each State are discussed by water 



area in the following sections and are com- 

 pared with those of 1896. Throughout the dis- 

 cussion, distances are approximate and all 

 mesh nneasurements are stretched. 



SHAD FISHERIES OF FLORIDA 



According to historical accounts of the shad 

 fisheries of the Atlamtic coast of the United 

 States, the Florida fishery, which began in the 

 1850's, was the last to be developed (Stevenson, 

 1899). The commercial gears used in 1896, 

 in order of importance, were drift gill net, 

 seine, and set gill net (table 10). The total 

 catch was 1,298,605 lb., of which drift gill 

 nets took 72 percent, seines 27 percent, and 

 set gill nets 1 percent (table 11). 



The commercial gears for shad in Florida 

 in 1960 were seine, set gill net, and drift gill 

 net (table 10). The commercial catch was 

 511 ,486 lb., of which haul seines took 58 per- 

 cent, set gill nets 32 percent, and drift gill 

 nets 10 percent. In adtdition, sport fishermen 

 in the St. Johns River took 198,000 lb. with 

 rod and reel (table 11). 



The amount of gear fished and the catch 

 decreased markedly between 1896 and I960. 



Table 10. — Gear employed in shad fisheries, by water area, 

 Florida, 1896 and 1960 



Table 11. --Shad catch, by water area and gear, Florida, 1896 and 1960 



[In pounds] 



17 



