316 tr. S. BUREAU OP FISHERIES 



Industries related to the fisheries of the Chesapeake Bay States, 1929 



MARYIAND 



The fisheries and industries related to the fisheries of Maryland 

 in 1929 employed 12,962 fishermen, which is a decrease of 34 per 

 cent, as compared with the number employed in 1925 — the most 

 recent year for which comparable data are available. Of the total 

 number of persons, 8,429 were fishermen, 423 were employed on trans- 

 porting vessels, 3,580 in the wholesale trade, and 530 in manufac- 

 turing industries. Of the fishermen, 53 also were engaged in the 

 manufacture of prepared fishery products. 



The total catch amounted to 63,387,608 pounds, valued at 

 $4,294,959, which is an increase of 11 per cent in the catch but a 

 decrease of 12 per cent in the value of the catch, as compared with 

 the catch and its value in 1925. Of the total value of the catch, that 

 of oysters accounted for 57 per cent; crabs, 19 per cent; and striped 

 bass and shad, each, 5 per cent. Of the total weight of the catch, 

 that of crabs accounted for 44 per cent; oysters, 28 per cent; alewives, 

 9 per cent; and squeteagues or "sea trout," 5 per cent. 



OPERATING UNITS BY GEAR 



The catch of fishery products in Maryland during 1929 was taken 

 by 8,429 fishermen who used 3 motor vessels, 264 sailing vessels, 

 5,758 motor and other small fishing boats, and 16 major types of 

 gear. The vessels had a combined capacity of 2,870 net tons. The 

 fisheries accounting for the greatest number of persons were the tong 

 fishery employing 4,438 fisherman and the dredge fishery employing 

 1,366 fishermen. 



CATCH BY GEAR 



Four types of gear accounted for 87 per cent of the fishery products 

 taken in the fisheries of Maryland during 1929. Listed in order of 

 their importance they were: Lines, which accounted for 38 per cent 



