FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1929 811 



CONNECTICUT 



Connecticut in 1928 employed 12 per cent of the total number of 

 fishermen and accounted for 12 per cent of the total catch of the 

 New Eng:land section. The fisheries and industries related to the 

 fisheries employed 2,499 persons, which is 49 i)er cent greater than the 

 number in 1924 — the most lecent year for which comparable data 

 are available. Of the total, 2, ()()() weie fishermen, 7 were employed 

 on transporting vessels, 213 in the wholesale trade, and 279 in the 

 prepared-products and by-products industries. 



The total catch amounted to 72,198,284 pounds, valued at $3,296,- 

 611. This is an increase of 180 per cent in the catch and 64 per cent 

 in the value of the catch as compared with the catch and its value for 

 1924. The large increases in Connecticut are accounted for by the 

 fact that a large packing plant was established in Connecticut in 

 the fall of 1927 and now diverts a large portion of the catch which 

 formerly was landed in New York City. Of the total value of the 

 catch, that for haddock accounted for 44 per cent; oysters, 23 per 

 cent; lobsters, 7 percent; and cod, 4 per cent. Of the total production 

 that of haddock accounted for 66 per cent; flounders, 11 per cent; 

 oysters, 7 per cent; cod, 6 per cent; and menhaden, 5 per cent. 



OPERATING UNITS BY GEAR 



The catch of fishery products along the coast of Connecticut during 

 1928 was taken by 2,000 fishermen who used 25 steam vessels, 91 

 motor vessels, 5 sailing vessels, 1,038 motor and other small fishing 

 boats, and 16 major types of gear. The vessels had a combined 

 capacity of 5,566 net tons. 



The fisheries accounting for the greatest number of persons were 

 the otter-trawl fishery, employing 736 fishermen and the lobster-pot 

 fishery, employing 380 fishermen. 



CATCH BY GEAR 



Two types of gear accounted for 90 per cent of the fish taken in the 

 marine fisheries of Connecticut during 1928. Otter trawls were by 

 far the most important of these accounting for 83 per cent of the catch. 

 Oyster dredges followed with 7 per cent. The catch by otter trawds 

 consisted principally of haddock, flounders, and cod; and that by 

 dredges was exclusively oysters. 



OPERATING UNITS BY COUNTIES 



New London County was foremost in the number of persons 

 fishing, accounting for 58 per cent of the total. Fairfield County 

 followed with 16 per cent. New London County also led in the num- 

 ber of fishing craft, accounting for 43 per cent of the vessels and 51 

 per cent of the motor and other small fishing boats. Fairfield County 

 ranked second with 37 per cent of the vessels and 17 per cent of the 

 motor and other small fishing boats. 



CATCH BY COUNTIES 



Fishing was prosecuted in the marine waters of five counties of 

 Connecticut during 1928. Ranked according to value the fisheries 

 of New London County were by far the most important, accounting 

 for 90 per cent of the total catch and 7 per cent of the total value of the 

 catch. Fairfield County accounted for 5 per cent of the total catch 

 and 14 per cent of the value and New Haven County accounted for 

 4 per cent of the catch and 14 per cent of the value. 



