AMEEICAN CATFISHES. 21 



MARKET FISHERIES. 



STATISTICS. 



Early statistics are so scattered and irregular in form, and even 

 those covering any one of the recent years pertain to such a limited 

 section of the country in that year, that it is difficult to make satis- 

 factory comparisons to show the extent and growth of the market 

 fisheries for catfish. Furthermore, no statistics are available for 

 any section of the country covering a later date than 1905. There- 

 fore figures for different sections for different terms of years must be 

 used to demonstrate the extent, growth, and commercial importance 

 of the fisheries, and these consequently convey only an approximate 

 indication of the present contlitions. 



For many years the fishery for catfishes has been of considerable 

 importance in certain previously mentioned sections of the country. 

 The last census reports show that more catfish are caught and the 

 value of the fishery greater than ever before. But both of these 

 conditions are due to more extensive fisliing, which in turn is accounted 

 for by a greater demand and a wider market. A scrutiny of the figures 

 for the sections of the country in which were located the principal 

 fisheries of former years (the Great Lakes, the Gulf States, and the 

 Middle Atlantic States) reveals that there is an actual falling off in 

 their catch, the more recently established fisheries, in places that 

 were formerly not extensively fished, accounting for the general 

 increase. An exception is apparent in the South Atlantic States, but 

 this probably "proves the rule," as the fishery has increased in 

 extent in those states. There has been a great increase in prices 

 per pound received by both fishermen and dealers in recent years. 



Great Lakes. — Statistics of the fisheries of the Great Lakes in 1885 

 show 90,600 pounds of catfish and bullheads handled at South 

 Chicago, for which the fishermen received S764, an average price 

 by the pound of less than 1 cent (0.84). The dealers are said to 

 have received $1,118, or an average price by the pound of about \\ 

 cents (1.24). 



In 1890 the catch of the Great Lakes amounted to 2,596,458 pounds, 

 for which the fishermen received S64,402, representing a price by 

 the pound of nearly 2h cents (2.48). In 1903 the catch for the same 

 waters is reported as 687,723 pounds, yielding to the fishermen 

 S25,847, or a pound value of 3f cents. There is thus shown a gain of 

 about 1\ cents for each pound of fish, but a total loss of $38,555. 



Gulf States. — In the Gulf States, exclusive of Florida and Alabama, 

 the statistics show that in 1897 the fishery yielded 2,318,245 pounds, 

 valued at $45,932, to the fishermen, averaging nearly 2 cents (1.9) 

 by the pound. In the same states in 1902 the catch amounted to 



