FRESH AND FROZEN FISHERY PRODUCTS 185 



Fulton Market was established at its present location a little over 

 100 years ago, at a time when the population of New York City cen- 

 tered at the lower end of Manhattan Island, when there were no rail- 

 roads, and when fishery products arrived entirely by boat. It 

 catered to both the retail and the wholesale trade and was stra- 

 tegically located at the foot of Fulton Street, which at that time was 

 the main artery through New York City to Fulton Feny, the impor- 

 tant means of travel to Brooklyn. 



Since the building of Brookljm Bridge traffic has been diverted to 

 it and to other bridges built subsequently. The withdrawal of the 

 transient trade and the vast growth of the city's population caused 

 the retailers to follow the trade and to seek more advantageous 

 sections, leaving the wholesale trade concentrated in its present loca- 

 tion. 



As New York City increased in size new firms engaged in the fish 

 business, new buildings were erected, old buildings were remodeled 

 to suit the needs of a fishery business, and Fulton Fish Market 

 developed into the greatest fish-distributing center in the United 

 States, constituting one of the largest industries in the metropolitan 

 district. 



In 1924 there were 87 wholesale establishments engaged in handling 

 394,000,000 pounds, or more than 19,000 carloads, of fresh and 

 frozen fishery products of 106 varieties, with a wholesale value of 

 approximately $30,000,000. The total investment amounted to 

 $2,577,484, and the cash or working capital to $592,900. There 

 were 1,163 persons engaged in this trade, receiving $2,250,705 in 

 wages. 



The present greatly enlarged wholesale-market area is still located 

 in its original position on the East River water front at the foot of 

 Fulton Street, Beelonan Street, and Peck Slip. It has no direct rail 

 communication with any freight or express terminals, but for the 

 accommodation of fishing smacks and steam trawlers there are two 

 piers extending into the East River from the rear of the market. 



SOURCES OF SUPPLY OF FISHERY PRODUCTS 



The bulk of the fresh and frozen salt-water fish received at the 

 market is taken on the offshore banks and in the shore fisheries of the 

 Atlantic seaboard from Newfoundland to Key West. Large quan- 

 tities are also received from the waters of the North Pacific, being 

 reshipped through the ports of Seattle, Wash., and Prince Rupert, 

 B. C. Smaller quantities are received from the waters of the Gulf 

 of Mexico and California. 



Most of the oysters are received from Long Island points; the bulk 

 of the clams come from points along the Atlantic seaboard; shrimp 

 are sent from the South Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico; and 

 scallops are shipped in from waters adjacent to Massachusetts, Long 

 Island, and North Carolina. 



The bulk of the fresh and frozen fresh-water fishery products re- 

 ceived in the market is taken from the Great Lakes and Canadian 

 lakes territory, though large quantities are also received from the 

 Mississippi River and its tributaries. Lesser quantities originate in 

 nearly every producing area for fresh-water fish in the United States. 



