122 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Statement of the numher, uwUjht, and value of roe and huch shad caught on the Atlantic 

 coast of the United States in 1896. 



The values set forth in the aforegoing table fail in doing- justice to tbe 

 importance of this fisliery, those figures representing merely tlie net price 

 which the fishermen received, this amount being greatly increased by 

 the time they reached the consumer. Thus the value of the 456,281 

 shad taken on the St. Johns River in Florida is reported at $61,924, an 

 average of $13.57 per 100 fish. The cost of packing and expressage to 

 New lork City, for instance, approximates $10 per 100. Then comes 

 the expenses and profit of the wholesale dealer or commission merchant 

 and that of the retailer, which may approximate $5 and $12, respec- 

 tively, per 100. This makes the cost of the fish to the consumer about 

 $40.57 per 100. Estimated at this rate, the yield on the St. Johns in 

 1896 was worth $185,113, instead of the reported value, $61,924. The 

 average value to the fishermen for the entire yield of the Atlantic coast 

 was $12.64 per 100 fish, while the consumers probably paid $25 per 100. 

 Assuming this basis as correct, the consumers paid $3,263,357 for the 

 13,053,429 shad caught in 1896. 



The prices in 1896 were unusually small, and this limited the total 

 catch considerably. During April and May the markets were glutted, 

 and prices fell so low that many fishermen ceased operations. 



The following table shows the wholesale prices of shad prevailing in 

 New York and Philadelphia on Friday of each week during the first six 

 months of 1896: 



