THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 107 



suiting from the herring alone. For the 750,000,000 actually captured 

 we ma3* suppose that this was not more than one-fourth of the total num- 

 ber in the river during the season, which would give 3,000,000,000 for 

 the Potomac Eiver only. From Florida to the Bay of Fundy, without 

 any reference to Dominion waters, we may safely assume the number to 

 be at least one hundred fold, a calculation probably far within bounds, five 

 times that amount and more, possibly, being the more reasonable. We 

 have, therefore, 300,000,000,000, representing a weight of not less than 

 200,000,000,000 pounds. The progeny of these herring in their various 

 stages of growth from the first year to the fourth, may certainly be es- 

 timated at twice the aggregate weight of the parents, or 400,000,000,000 

 pounds, giving us G00,000,000,000 pounds offish along our coast of this 

 one species. It may safely be assumed that at present not more than 

 one-tenth of 1 per cent, of these fish now inhabit the waters specified, 

 or only 600,000,000. 



I have made no reference to the adult and young of the shad, the 

 tailor herring, the gizzard shad, the striped bass, the various Cyprin- 

 idee, and other fishes running in from the *sea at about the same 

 time with the other fish, and tending to swell the aggregate in the 

 waters. But I think it will be readily understood what a loss we have 

 experienced, not onlj' in the way of direct food, but in the inducements 

 to other fishes to come within our reach ; and in the Dominion in the 

 numbers of anadromous fish. 



It is, therefore, very encouraging to believe that, even though from 

 the changes in the physical condition of the laud, water, artificial ob- 

 structions, &c, we may not look for the old-time abundance, we may 

 yet hope for a very considerable increase ; even if we get back to one- 

 fourth the original supply, we may well be satisfied. 



A comparison of the statistics of the number of shad and ale wives 

 caught in the Potomac River in a single season of six weeks' time, and 

 salted, to the extent of 995,000 barrels,* with those of the sea herring in 

 any part of the world, will show the insignificance of the latter; while 

 the fishery on the Potomac during the period referred to equaled the 

 total yield of tbe Scottish salmon fisheries in 1873, prosecuted through- 

 out the year, and employing 15,000 boats and 15,591 men, and equaled 

 nearly twice the entire number of barrels of the sea herring put up in 

 the Dominion of Canada in 1876. 



* It is proper to say that the accuracy of Martin's ligures has heen disputed, by some 

 recent writers, Even if they are, however, twice as large as the fact would justify, 

 the generel argument would not he invalidated. 



