REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 67 
prepared for the board of World’s Fair managers of that State. In 
January tables showing the extent of the fisheries of Maryland and 
Virginia were, by request, forwarded to Mr. S. G. Brock, chief of the 
Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Department. For Mr. J. B. 
Baylor, of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, a statement 
was prepared in December showing the output of the oyster fishery of 
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and 
eastern Florida. In November a series of very detailed tables cover- 
ing the oyster industry of Maryland was forwarded to Mr. B. Howard 
Haman, who had requested this information in behalf of the Baltimore 
Board of Trade and the State bureau of labor statistics. Statistics of 
the fisheries of Ohio were furnished to Hon. Daniel J. Ryan, of the 
Ohio board of managers of the World’s Fair,in July. Numerous other 
requests for data were also received, and complied with when the 
interests of the office would permit. 
NOTES ON COMMERCIAL FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Continuing the practice which has been followed in previous reports 
of the division, attention will be here drawn to some features of the 
commercial fisheries which seem of sufficient interest and importance to 
warrant mention. These notes have been furnished to the Commission 
by its agents and correspondents or are suggested by the discus- 
sions in the public prints. Among the branches referred to are the 
mackerel fishery, the whale fishery, and snapper fishing on the Bank of 
Campeche, the last named possessing great interest. Other fisheries 
that attracted more or less attention during the year and are fully dis- 
eussed in the regular reports of the Commission are the salmon fishery, 
the fur-seal fishery, and the Pacific cod fishery. 
POMPANO AND SPANISH MACKEREL IN CHESAPEAKE BAY. 
The pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) is of constant occurrence in 
the lower Chesapeake, but rarely appears in great abundance. The 
bay represents the northern limit of commercial fishing for this fish. 
In 1891 there was a remarkably numerous run of pompanoes in that 
part of the bay adjacent to its mouth. According to Mr. J. KE. N. 
Sterling, of Cape Charles City, Va., the catch with pound nets and 
seines on the shores of Northampton County alone was between 20,000 
and 25,000 pounds. The inquiries of the agents of the office disclosed 
a yield of 93,760 pounds in the Chesapeake, with a value to the fisher- 
men of $9,520. In the following year the catch was much less, the 
Northampton County fishermen taking less than 5,000 pounds, according 
to Mr. Sterling, although there was said to be a large quantity in the 
bay which kept offshore out of reach of the nets. 
The lower Chesapeake is now the most important fishing-ground 
for Spanish mackerel, although its productiveness is much less than 
formerly, owing, it is supposed, to the capture of large quantities of 
fish prior to or during the spawning season. The principal part of the 
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