The dredge J sometimes called the "Fall River" or "Nantucket" dredge 5 

 consists of an iron frame with a row of teeth spaced 2 inches apart which 

 dig the clams from the bottomo The bap; which holds the catch is made of 

 2-inch iron rings (Figo 3)o The dredge is used primarily for catching 

 clams of the large or chowder size„ 



Dredge boats which range from 30 to U5 feet in length require masts, 

 booms 5 winches and powerful engines for dragging the dredge through the 

 bottom, A crew of two is normally required c Boats dredge in water as 

 deep as clams occur and as shallow as the draft of the boat will permit o 

 They can operate in weather ivhich would be too rough for hand-digging. 

 The daily catch in Rhode Island is limited to 30 bushels per boat 5 but 

 this amount can only be attained for a short time after the opening of 

 the season in the southern part of the Sakonnet River, The dredging sea- 

 son is from December 1 to March 31 » Rhode Island has about 2U licensed 

 dredge boats ^ although at the maximum of the fishery in 19U3 -1914.55 U6 

 boats were engaged. 



lETHODS FOR CONDUCTING THE EXPERir.ENT 



The Highbanks area between Quonset Naval Air Station and Greenvfich 

 Bay was found to be suitable for the experiment after examination of 

 stations throughout Narragansett Bay, The depth of the plot selected 

 was about 20 feet and the bottom was firm sandy mud. Samples dredged 

 with a small mesh liner inside the bag showed clams of all sizes v/ere 

 present (Fig, Ii), We discussed the experiment with the dredgers and with 

 the hand-diggers and both groups gave their approval. 



The test plot was divided into three tracts with areas to be dredged 

 and bullraked separated by an unfished control tract as shown in Figure 5. 

 Each test area was divided into quarters, but a different arrangement was 

 necessary in the two areas since dredging required a long tract, whereas 

 a square plot was more suitable for raking. Corresponding quarters in 

 the bullraked and dredged areas were fished simultaneously during each 

 summer to determine the effect of digging upon the new sets of clams. 



Bullraking Operations 



We employed two commercial bullrakers to fish Area B, Each digger 

 sold his catch and in addition received enough remuneration to make his 

 wages equal to those he would have received had he fished wherever he 

 desired. This total wage was based upon catch records from commercial 

 bullrakers in the area. In 19U9 the diggers raked in each quarter until 

 their individual daily catch fell to a pre-established minimum value of 

 $5,00| then they began a new quarter. In 19^0 the catch of larger clams 

 per day began at a lower level than in 19U9 and termination of fishing 

 in each quarter could not be based on the minimum catch value used in 

 19U9« Bullraking was therefore continued in each quarter for approxi- 

 mately a two-week period. Digging occurred during the periods from 



5 



