REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF STATISTICS AND METHODS OF 



THE FISHERIES. 



By Hugh M. Smith. 



This division was under the direction of the writer until April 7, 1897, 

 when Mr. Charles H. Townsend, formerly naturalist on the steamer 

 Albatross, was appointed in charge. 



The principal work of the division comprised a canvass of the shad 

 and alewife fisheries of the entire Atlantic coast, a reconnaissance of 

 the fishing industry of the Pacific States, inquiries relative to the fish- 

 eries of the coastal waters of Florida, and a study of the salmon fishery 

 of Penobscot Bay and Eiver. Besides the general investigation of the 

 fisheries of the Pacific States, some special inquiries were made rela- 

 tive to the sardine industry, the abundance of the introduced shad and 

 striped bass, and the transplanted eastern lobster. 



SHAD AND ALEWIFE FISHERIES. 



The extensive canvass of the important fisheries for shad and alewives, 

 begun in May. 189G, and noticed in the last report of the division, was 

 completed during the present year, and the Commission was put in 

 possession of very complete and instructive matter regarding the condi- 

 tion of the industry in each stream. In view of the magnitude of the 

 fish-cultural operations with the shad, the inquiries had a special value, 

 because of the opportunity afitbrded for making comparisons Avith pre- 

 vious years. The canvass was, in some respects, the most thorough 

 examination of the shad fishery ever undertaken. It included statistics 

 of i)ersons employed, apparatus and boats used, and products taken 

 in each stream or water, the extent of the fishing with each kind of 

 appliance, the number, weight, and value of the shad of each sex, and 

 other special data. 



The canvass disclosed the fact that in 1896 the number of persons 

 engaged in the shad and alewife fisheries was nearly 27,000, including 

 only those who used apparatus set especially for these fish or in which 

 they constituted an imi)ortant part of the catch. Fully 3,500 other 

 persons took more or less shad and alewives incidentally in gill nets, 

 pound nets, and seines operated primarily for other fish. Of the 21,800 

 persons who may be classed as fishermen, as distinguished from those 

 who simply transjwrted the catch or handled it on shore, over 6,100 

 l)ersons Avere employed in ISTorth Carolina, more than 4,100 in Maryland, 

 nearly 1,000 in Virginia, about 2,900 in New Jersey, 1,650 in South 

 Carolina, 1,200 in New York, and 1,100 in Pennsylvania. 



