SECTION 4 - CHESAPEAKE FISHERIES 



The commercial landings of fish and shellfish in the Chesapeake States (Maryland and Vir- 

 ginia) were a record 530.4 million pounds worth a record $40. 5 million — an increase of 276.4 mil- 

 lion pounds (78 percent) and $4.4 million (12 percent) compared with 1969. Record landings of 

 menhaden were the principal reason for the greater harvest. In addition to menhaden, landings of 

 the following major species increased significantly: hard blue crabs, surf clam meats, oyster 

 meats, fluke flounders, gray sea trout, shad, and spot. Major species with smaller landings than 

 in 1969 included sea scallop meats, hard and soft clam meats, alewives, striped bass, and swell- 

 fish. 



Virginia landings of 550.6 million pounds worth $22.0 million were 87 percent of the volume 

 and 54 percent of the value in the Chesapeake area. Menhaden accounted for 81 percent of the 

 Virginia landings, followed by hard blue crabs (8 percent), and alewives (3 percent). Hard blue 

 crabs were 31 percent of the Maryland landings; oysters, 21 percent; and surf clams, 17 percent. 



Fishermen and vessels . There were 18,998 fishermen operating 1 ,566 vessels of 5 net tons or more, 

 11,638 motor boats, and 667 other boats. Compared with 1969, this was an increase of 1,854 

 fishermen, 47 vessels, 1,702 motor boats, and 45 other boats. 



Processed products . The value of processed seafood items in the Chesapeake States was $100.4 

 million--an increase of $21.5 million compared with 1969. Maryland's processed products were 

 valued at $58.2 million — 58 percent of the area total. In Virginia, processed items were worth 

 $42.2 million. There were 7,811 persons employed in 465 wholesaling and processing plants in 

 the two States . 



Menhaden . Record landings of 449.8 million pounds were 268.1 million more than in 1969, and 

 35.3 million pounds more than in 1959, the former record year. Purse seines accounted for 90 per- 

 cent of the landings. Only 4 percent of the purse seine production was taken in the Atlantic Ocean; 

 the rest came from the Chesapeake Bay. 



During the last decade menhaden landings have declined sharply along the Atlantic coast. 

 Virginia has been the only State landing them inappreciable quantities — except for a brief fall fish- 

 ery in North Carolina waters and a small fishery off the New Jersey coast. Menhaden are used 

 principally by reduction plants for processing into meal and oil. In 1970, 93 percent of the harvest 

 was used for reduction. The rest was used chiefly as bait for hard crabs. 



Blue crabs . Hard blue crab landings were 67.4 million pounds worth $4.5 million — a gain of 10.7 

 million pounds,but a decrease of $899 ,000 compared with 1969. Landings through the winter dredge 

 season, spring, and early summer were good, and the exvessel prices remained firm at about $5 

 for a 100-pound barrel. Prices were restrained during the first half of the year by competition from 

 crabs brought in from southern States and by fairly large inventories of unsold pasteurized crab 

 meat . 



During the latter part of the year crabs became less abundant because the fishermen began 

 depending on the 1969 year class, which was not great. Virginia authorities lowered the legal size 

 limit for hard crabs from 5 inches to 4-3/4 inches, measured from spike to spike. This change per- 

 mitted the marketing of smaller crabs, but created difficulties when the crabs were shipped out of 

 State, especially to Maryland where the size remained at 5 inches. Many Virginia truckers were 

 fined in Maryland for possession of undersized crabs . Picked crab meat prices averaged less in the 

 first 6 months of the year than during the comparable period of 1969 . Backfin meat averaged about $1 

 less per pound, and regular meat averaged from 50 to 75 cents less per pound. During the last 

 half of the year, however, crab meat prices were about the same as in 1969. 



