Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 305 



pounds (1935); ^"*^ '" 1936-1941 it varied from 2,467,000 (1938) to 3,270,700 

 (1939). Although the catch in 1959 was only 1,171,212 pounds, very definite recovery 

 has been indicated. According to investigators of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 this recovery is ascribed partially to the elimination of pollution and partially to the 

 great decrease in fishing effort at the time when depletion made it unprofitable to 

 fish. The curtailment in fishing permitted the depleted population to reach the 

 spawning grounds, to return to the sea, and to spawn again and again. Ultimately 

 this resulted in the rehabilitation of the American Shad in this river system. It is 

 decidely encouraging to have evidence that a depleted fishery can be restored. 



The American Shad fishery in the Potomac, though it has fluctuated greatly, has 

 also undergone a general decline in recent years, without evident recovery. The catches 

 in 1896 and 1901 were above 2.5 million pounds whereas in 1909 and 1915 they were 

 only three-quarters of a million pounds. Then from 191 9 to 1923 they ranged above a 

 million pounds, reaching the impressive totals of somewhat more than two million 

 pounds in 1919 and over three million pounds in 1922; the latter is the greatest catch 

 on record. In 1924 the catch dropped to a little over half a million pounds, and since 

 then it exceeded a million pounds only in 1926, 1928, 1929, 1931, and 1933; in fact, 

 the catch exceeded two million pounds in 1928, 1931, and 1932. However, between 

 I 934-1 941 it has fluctuated only from 631,000 pounds in 1935 t° 322,800 pounds in 

 I 940, the smallest catch recorded. Although great fluctuations in the catches, and no 

 doubt in abundance, have occurred in the Potomac River since 1896, a definite decline 

 was not indicated by the statistics until 1934. Thereafter, a general decrease in the 

 catches has reached alarming proportions. In 1959 the catch was only 188,000 pounds. 



A decline similar to that in the Potomac River has taken place in the entire Chesa- 

 peake Bay area, where, exclusive of annual fluctuations in the catch, the general trend 

 has been downward since 1930. According to statistics, this same situation also applies 

 to the South Atlantic states, and perhaps to a somewhat smaller extent to the fisheries 

 of the Middle Atlantic states. 



The over-all yield of late has ranged between catches of 8,222,000 and 14,700,000 

 pounds for the United States (1940, 1945, 1 950-1 953), and between 1,545,000 and 

 2,444,000 pounds for Canada (1940, 1945, 1950— 1952). The American Shad thus 

 remains very important economically, yielding the fishermen an annual return of over 

 a million dollars. 



Formerly, when they were abundant, the market for them more limited, transporta- 

 tion slower, and refrigeration virtually unknown, a considerable portion of the catch 

 was salted. However, now nearly all of it is marketed in the fresh state. Johnson has 

 stated, "During recent years the outstanding problem of wholesale dealers, insofar 

 as shad are concerned usually has been one of obtaining adequate supplies rather than of 

 disposing of the catch" {68: 15). In fact, the demand on the Atlantic coast has been 

 so great that the supply is augmented annually by shipments from the Pacific coast. 

 The chief markets on the Atlantic coast are New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and 

 Washington. 



