FISHERIES OF THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 



259 



canneries, largfe quantities are also sold for bait to tishing vessels from 

 Boston, Gloucester, and other ports along the coast. The species 

 taken in largest quantities in this count}' are cod, hake, herring, 

 mackerel, smelt, lobster, and clam. 



Cumberland Count}" also has extensive fisheries, which center chiefly 

 at Portland, Avhere the fishermen market the greater part of their 

 catch. The products consist principally of cod, haddock, hake, mack- 

 erel, sword-fish, lobsters, and clams. Compared with 1898 there has 

 been considerable decrease in the catch of some of these species. The 

 decline in the clam catch has been so great that in some localities a 

 close season has been established with a view to improving the condi- 

 tion of the fishery. The catch of mackerel has increased in both 

 quantity and value; the catch of sword-fish, while it has decreased in 

 quantity, has increased in value. 



Knox County is third among the counties of Maine in the quantity 

 and value of its fishery products, and fifth in the nvimber of persons 

 employed and capital invested in the fisheries. There has been con- 

 siderable increase since 1898 in the catch of cod, haddock, herring, 

 and lobsters, but a decrease in a number of other species, especially 

 in clams. 



The most important of the 5 remaining counties were Sagadahoc, 

 in which the number of persons employed was 471, the investment 

 $59,368, and the products 3,732,101 pounds, valued at $85,216; and 

 York, with 482 persons employed, $97,193 invested, and products 

 amounting to 7,804,284 pounds, valued at $182,596. 



The following tables show the extent of the fisheries in each county 

 of Maine in 1902: 



Table shoiclng the number of persons employed in the fisheries of Maine in 1902. 



