86 



ETSHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 



peake Bay has almost compensated so far as the total yield is con- 

 cerned. The product for 1904 showed a 6 per cent decrease in quan- 

 tity and an increase of 32 per cent in value. The large catch in the 

 open waters, however, contrasting with the scarcity of fish in the 

 streams, emphasizes the precarious condition of the fishery, the decline 

 of which is inevitable when such a large proportion of the fish are 

 captured before reaching the spawning grounds. 



Number and Value of the Shad Taken in Each County of Maryland in 1904. 



Counties. 



Anne Arundel 



Calvert 



Caroline 



Cecil 



Charles 



Dorchester. . . 



Harford 



Kent 



Prince George 



Counties. 



Queen Anne. 



St. Mary 



Somerset 



Talbot 



Wicomico . . . 

 Worcester . . 



No. 



1,405 

 8,850 

 13, 356 

 70, 103 

 45,358 

 11,505 



Total o772,575 



Value. 



$366 

 1,445 

 2,403 

 14, 120 

 9,879 

 2,825 



159, 772 



12,912,249 pounds. 



Below is shown the shad catch of the state by waters. It will be 

 seen that nearly two-thirds of the total was taken from Chesapeake 

 Bay. The Potomac, Susquehanna, Choptank, Nanticoke, Wicomico, 

 and other rivers also furnished large quantities, but while the catch 

 in the bay, compared with 1901, has increased 63 per cent, that in 

 the rivers shows a decrease as follows: Potomac, 43 per cent; Susque- 

 hanna, 41 per cent; Choptank, 71 per cent; Nanticoke, 11 per cent; 

 Wicomico, 17 per cent. These figures apply to that portion of these 

 waters within the boundaries of Maryland. In the upper portion 

 of some of these rivers, where extensive shad gill-net fisheries were 

 prosecuted several years ago, there is now practically no fishing. 



Shad Catch of Maryland in 1904, Shown by Waters in the Order of Their 

 Importance, According to Number of Shad Taken. 



Waters. 



Chesapeake Bay . . . 

 Potomac River. . . . 

 Susquehanna River 

 Choptank River. . . 

 Nanticoke River. . . 

 Wicomico River . . . 

 Pocomoke River. . . 

 North East River. . 



Fishing Bay 



Patuxent River 



Elk River 



Sassafras River 



Pocomoke Sound. . 



Waters. 



Chester River 



West River 



Blackwater River 



Little Choptank River 



Atlantic Ocean 



Tangier Sound 



Bush River 



Honga River 



St. Martins River 



Manokin River 



Total 



No. 



Value. 



72,575 159,772 



The following table shows by states the total catch of shad in the 

 interstate rivers. These figures show decreases since 1901 as follows: 

 Potomac River, 53 per cent; Susquehanna, 30 per cent; Nanticoke, 

 25 per cent; Pocomoke, 77 per cent. 



