XVI REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 
former years for which statistics are available, the fishery has, never- 
theless, registered substantial increases since ‘the exceptionally poor 
year 1924. 
The catch of alewives amounted op 13,795,848 fish, weighing 
5,518, 930 pounds, valued at $55,366 to the fishermen. The catch 
shows an increase over 1925 of 76 per cent in number, 76 per cent in 
weight, and 48 per cent in value, and, with the exception of 1924, is 
the ‘largest catch on record since 1909. 
FLORIDA SPONGE FISHING 
In 1926 the quantity of sponges sold at the sponge exchange, 
Tarpon Springs, Fla., was 367,745 pound, valued at $666,093, of 
which 235,143 pounds, value dat $592 367, were large wool; 26,073 
pounds, valued at $36,502, small wool; 55,205 pounds, valued at 
$22,682, yellow; 49,233 pounds, valued at $13,441, grass; and 2.091 
pounds, valued at $1,101, wire. It is estimated that sponges to the 
value of $50,000 were cold outside of the exchange at Tarpon Springs. 
Compared with 1925, there was a decrease in the production of 66,927 
pounds, or 15.4 per cent, in quantity, and $49,004, or 6.9 per cent, in 
value. 
FISHERIES OF MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA 
Compilation of the statistics of the fisheries of Maryland and Vir- 
ginia in 1925 was completed during the fiscal year and published in 
summary form as Statistical Bulletin No. 745. The results show 
that the fisheries of these States gave employment to 39,091 persons, 
of whom 25,856 were engaged in fishing operations. 9,671 in the 
wholesale ase trade, and 3,564 in the canning, salting, smoking, and 
by-products industries. The investment amounted to $19,322 844, of 
which $10,635,397 were invested in vessels, boats, fishing ee 
and shore and accessory property used by the fishermen; $4,259,205 
in property and cash ‘capital in the wholesale fishery trade: and 
$4,428,949 in property and cash capital in the canning, salting, smok- 
ing, and by-products industries. The products of the fisheries of 
these two States amounted to 333,205,769 pounds, valued at $13,- 
948,060. The products of the canning and other fishery industries 
had a value of $4.936.664. 
Oysters, with a production of 60,264,932 pounds, or 8,609,276 
bushels, valued at $6,021,606, were the most important fishery product 
of these States. Other important products were shad, 7,363,856 
pounds, valued at $1,636,879; menhaden, 150,492.623 pounds, valued 
at $1,434,706; crabs, 29,600,605 pounds, valued at $1,249,497; croaker, 
25,252,156 pounds, valued at $711,416; Sees, 13,924,659 pounds, 
valued at $668,296; and clams, 1,190,272 pounds, or 148,784 bushels, 
valued at $468,784. 
Compared with 1920, the last available statistical report, there was 
a decrease of 5 per cent in the number of persons engaged ; an increase 
of 5.7 per cent in the amount of capital invested; and a decrease of 
37.2 per cent in the quantity, with an increase of 9.5 per cent in the 
value of the products landed by the fishermen. 
