108 llEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISlIERIEfi. 



235 on tlie Tennessee Kiver, 75 on the Mississii)i)i Kiver, and 105 on 

 Eeelfoot and Open lakes. Without taking into consideration the dupli- 

 cations arising from the employment of two or more kinds of apparatus, 

 17 fishermen used seines, 87 trammel nets, 21)3 fyke nets, 3G4 set lines, 

 and 80 hand lines; 17 persons were specially engaged in the prepara- 

 tion of products. 



The number and value of the boats and apparatus employed in the 

 Tennessee flslieries were as follows: 44G boats, $4,879; 2 seines, $525; 

 4(5 trammel nets, $1,G1(); 1 trap, $1,500; 1,G19 fyke nets, $13,100; 1,830 

 set lines, $1,897; 200 hand lines, $150; shore and accessory property, 

 valued at $G,422, the total investment being $30,203. Two thirds of 

 the fyke nets were set in the Tennessee Kiver and Eeelfoot Lake. The 

 trammel nets and hand lines were confined to the lakes; the set lines 

 were used principally in the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers. The 

 single trap net reported was a very large appliance built in the bed of 

 the Tennessee River in Knox County. 



The economic fisheries of Tennessee in 1894 yielded over 2,445,000 

 pounds of fishery products, having a value of $82,500. In the value of 

 its catch, as in persons employed and capital invested, Tennessee ranks 

 third among the five States of this region now under consideration. 

 Buffalo-fish constituted nearly one-half the output, 1,057,000 pounds, 

 valued at $25,950, being taken. The catch of catfish was about G70,000 

 pounds, having a value of $28,400. The next important fish was the 

 drum, or sheepshead, the yield being 254,000 pounds, worth $10,255. 



The products of the fisheries of Reelfoot Lake were greater than of 

 all the other waters combined. They consisted of G2G,000 pounds of 

 buffalo-fish, 305,000 pounds of catfish, 107,000 pounds of drum, 85,000 

 pounds of crappy, and 250,200 pounds of other fish, the aggregate 

 being 1,373,200 pounds, for which the fishermen received $3G,182. The 

 Tennessee River fisheries produced 524,200 pounds, valued at $28,G88, of 

 which buffalo-fish constituted 124,560 pounds, catfish 233,500 pounds, 

 and drum 112,410 pounds. The fishermen on the Mississippi River took 

 370,500 pounds having a value of $9,454, and tho^e on the Cumberland 

 River 8G,000 pounds, worth $5,953. In Open Lake, a catch of 91,285 

 pounds brought $2,225. 



More than one-third of the fishery products of Tenijessee are taken 

 on set lines; in 1894 the yield was 935,848 pounds, valued at $31,G6G. 

 The fyke-net cat(;h was 787,530 pounds, worth $31,G28. The trammel 

 nets took over 575,000 pounds of fish, which sold for $12,705. The 

 yield of other forms of apparatus was comparatively unimportant. 



THE MENHADEN FISHERY. 



The inauguration of an investigation of some of the features of 

 the menhaden industry was referred to In the division report for 1894; 

 the desirability of making this inquiry and suggestions as to its scope 

 and character were stated in the report of the division for 1892. The 

 work of the field agents, which began in May, 1894, was carried on 



