88 



FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 



Eel. — Eels are taken very generally throughout the state, mostly in 

 eel pots. At Cambridge, Dorchester County, the fishery is vigor- 

 ously prosecuted for two or three months, beginning the middle of 

 March. Vessels of 5 tons and over which have been used for dredg- 

 ing oysters are fitted out at the close of the oyster season for eel 

 fishing. Most of the catch is made in the Potomac River, the men 

 living aboard the vessel and fishing from rowboats. The eels are 

 either dressed and sold fresh or salted, or sold round. The latter are 

 usually eels too small to be dressed and are disposed of as bait for 

 hard-crab trot lines. 



Terrapin. — -Aside from Dorchester County, where an increase is 

 shown, the catch of terrapin has varied little since 1901. In only a 

 few localities is the supply sufficient to justify a special effort to 

 capture these animals. 



Other species. — Other important species are catfish, butterfish, and 

 squeteague, the, catfish being taken in the rivers and the other spe- 

 cies mainly along the coast of Worcester County. The catch of 

 catfish shows a slight increase since 1901, but the quantity of butter- 

 fish and squeteague has decreased. 



WHOLESALE TRADE. 



Baltimore City is the center of the wholesale trade of the state. 

 In the quantity of oysters handled it leads all cities in the United 

 States, and several of the largest firms have established branch houses 

 on the Gulf coast within the past few years. Owing to the decline of 

 this fishery, however, the investment and number of persons employed 

 in canning and shucking houses shows a large decrease since 1901. 

 There has also been a falling off in the production of lime from 

 oyster shells, due, it is said, to a smaller demand from the gas com- 

 panies, who formerly used the largest part of the output. 



The following table shows, by localities, the number and value of 

 establishments, the cash capital employed, and the number of persons 

 engaged in the wholesale fishery trade of Maryland in 1 904 : 



Wholesale Fishery Trade of Maryland in 1904. 



Annapolis and Shady Side 



Baltimore 



St. Michaels and Claiborne 



Tilghman Island 



Oxford and Bellovue 



Crisfield, Lawsonia, and Smith Island 



Deal Island and Chance 



Fairmount, Kingston, and Oriole 



Marion, Hopewell, and Shelltown 



Cambridge and Secretary 



Fishing Creek and Iloopersville 



Lakesville and Wingate 



Havre de Grace, Perryville, and North East 



Bivalve and Tyaskin 



Solomons and Benedict 



Total 



Establishments. 



No. Value. 



4 

 122 

 6 

 5 

 10 

 49 

 14 

 13 

 7 

 24 

 2 

 2 

 4 

 2 

 4 



208 



$14,750 



1,376,544 



13,200 



10,350 



32,325 



153, ISO 



8,780 



19,090 



17,735 



60,315 



3,000 



800 



6,650 



6,025 



1,100 



Cash 

 capital. 



812,500 



1,989,200 



9,650 



13,500 



29,500 



137,300 



3,850 



13,250 



14,800 



48,000 



2,000 



1,100 



5,000 



10,500 



21,500 



1,723,844 ; 2,311,650 



No. of 

 persons 

 engaged. 



5,559 



241 



224 



565 



1,147 



116 



235 



313 



910 



180 



24 



69 



160 



17 



Wages 

 paid. 



$32,500 



837,925 



11,225 



21,000 



35,900 



120, 650 



10,575 



26,650 



34,100 



79,100 



4,500 



700 



3,100 



4,000 



1,135 



1,223,060 



