66 REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 
COASTAL FISHERIES OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. 
A statistical canvass of the coastal fisheries of New York and New 
Jersey was made during the year for the calendar year 1917 similar 
to the previous canvass of these fisheries for the year 1915. The sta- 
tistics included only fishes proper. 
In New York there were 1,538 persons engaged in the coastal 
fisheries, exclusive of shellfish, in 1917; the investment in vessels, 
boats, fishing apparatus, and shore and accessory property was 
$1,370,823; and the products amounted to 68,315,888 pounds, valued 
at $1,376,360. The principal species taken were alewives, 788,875 
pounds, valued at $14,617; bluefish, 961,340 pounds, valued at $183,- 
136; butterfish, 800,499 pounds, valued at $47,979; flounders, 4,176,- 
374 pounds, valued at $180,333; menhaden, 50,441,540 pounds, valued 
at $261,919; scup or porgy, 1,212,650 pounds, valued at $72,217; sea 
bass, 1,122,623 pounds, valued at $81,654; squeteague or weakfish, 
2,292,050 pounds, valued at $170,861; tilefish, 1,480,828 pounds, 
valued at $100,551; and whiting, 1,488,800 pounds, valued at $33,510. 
The menhaden were caught chiefly in southern waters and landed 
at southern ports, but are properly credited to New York because 
taken by vessels belonging in that State. 
Compared with the returns for 1915, there was a decrease of 966, 
or 38.5 per cent, in the number of persons engaged, and of $400,343, 
or 22.6 per cent, in the amount of capital invested; but an increase 
of 34,268,113 pounds, or 100.6 per cent, in the quantity, and of $254,- 
719, or 22.7 per cent, in the value of the products. If the menhaden 
are excluded for both years, a decrease is shown in the quantity of 
all other fish of 1,654,615 pounds, or 8.4 per cent, and an increase in 
the value of $93,735, or 9.18 per cent. 
In New Jersey in 1917 there were 2,137 persons engaged in the 
coastal fisheries for fishes proper; the investment in vessels, boats, 
fishing apparatus, and shore and accessory property was $1,235,550; 
and the products amounted to 49,979,375 pounds, valued at $1,953,- 
076. The species taken in largest quantities were alewives, 2,051,172 
pounds, valued at $28,746; bluefish, 1,122,158 pounds, valued at 
$150,605; butterfish, 4,227,745 pounds, valued at $200,564; croaker, 
3,483,095 pounds, valued at $142,811; flounders, 1,369,848 pounds, 
valued at $85,643; hake, 2,092,195 pounds, valued at $27,338; men- 
haden, 1,433,984 pounds, valued at $14,664; scup or porgy, 3,673,173 
pounds, valued at $137,004; sea bass, 5,323,116 pounds, valued at 
$313,187; squeteague or weakfish, 11,004,255 pounds, valued at 
$482,916; and whiting, 10,401,255 pounds, valued at $135,188. 
Compared with 1915 there was a decrease of 166, or 7.2 per cent, 
in the number of persons engaged; an increase of $48,493, or 3.6 per 
cent, in the investment; of 2,123,199 pounds, or 4.4 per cent, in the 
quantity ; and $604,409, or 44.8 per cent, in the value of the products. 
Excluding the menhaden for both years, there was an increase in 
1917 in the quantity of all other fish of 5,044,004 pounds, or 11.59 
per cent, and in the value of $626,347, or 47.73 per cent. 
The statistics of these fisheries, by counties, are given in the fol- 
lowing table: 
