FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 517 



FISHERIES OF VIRGINIA, 



The fisheries of Virginia, as compared with those of the other Mid- 

 dle Atlantic States, ranked first in the quantity of products in 1901. 



The last two canvasses (1897 and 1901) of the fisheries of this State 

 by the United States Fish Commission present some interesting com- 

 parisons. The total capital invested in shore property, vessels, fishing 

 apparatus, and cash capital in 1897 amounted to $2,891,536, and in 

 1901 to $3,633,104, an increase of $741,568. The number of fisher- 

 men and shore employees in 1897 was 28,277, and in 1901, 29,325, an 

 increase of 1,048. Of the employees in 1901, 5,565 were on vessels, 

 18,492 on small boats in shore fisheries, and 5,268 in wholesale fish 

 markets, menhaden factories, and oyster canneries. 



The products in 1901 as compared with 1897 show an increase of 

 861,599 bushels in the quantity and of $881,773 in the value of the 

 oyster catch. In the other fishery products there has been an increase 

 of 94,158,216 pounds and of $552,113. The total yield and value of the 

 oyster fishery in 1897 was 7,023,848 bushels, of $2,041,683 value; in 

 1901, 7,885,447 bushels, of $2,923,456 value. The fishery products, 

 exclusive of oysters, in 1897 amounted to 228,827,013 pounds, of 

 $1,137,815 value; in 1901, to 322,985,229 pounds, of $1,689,928 value. 



The greater part of the fish are caught by pound nets, gill nets, and 

 haul seines, in each of which, since 1897, there has been a material 

 increase in number. Pound nets have increased from 1,260 to 1,590, 

 gill nets from 9,307 to 10,437, and haul seines from 107 to 257. 



Alewives, one of the most abundant food .species, have increased in 

 both the quantity and value of the catch, which was 13,689,510 pounds 

 in 1897, valued at $70,841, and 13,913,444 pounds in 1901, valued at 

 $115,424. There was an increase of 905,690 pounds in the squeteague 

 taken and of $38,026 in the value. 



The shad catch is an important feature of the fisheries of Virginia, 

 the most of it being taken in pound nets, of which many are owned 

 and worked by planters who farm near the fishing- grounds. The 

 farmer fishermen take up their pound nets at the close of the shad 

 season. The shad catch of 1901 shows a large decrease from that of 

 1897, which is accounted for by the unusuallj^ cold and backward 

 spring. The season at its best is short, and in 1901 the fish were 

 late in arriving, after which much time was lost from the weather 

 being unfavorable for fishing. The shad catch in 1897 amounted to 

 11,529,474 pounds, valued at $304,448, and in 1901 to 6,972,212 pounds, 

 valued at $366,203, a decrease of 4,557,262 pounds in quantity and an 

 increase of $38,245 in value, the better price received by the fisher- 

 men in 1901 more than compensating for the reduced catch. The 

 shad in 1901 were extra large and of fine quality, and found a ready 

 market at the seaside resorts, as well as in the northern markets, the 

 demand being steady and prices satisfactory. 



