STURGEON FISHERY OP DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY. 



879 



as the eggs, when ripe, have become detached from the membrane, it 

 is not necessary to run it tliroagh the sieve. They are put in a pickle 

 to cure them, and, after being allowed to diain, are placed in the middle 

 of a cask, with good caviar at the top and bottom. 



The fisherman's work usually ends at this point, as the buyers for 

 the foreign and domestic firms which handle caviar are at the fishing 

 centers during the season ready to buy and pay cash for the product. 



An idea of the great increase in the value of caviar can be gathered 

 from the following: In 1885 caviar sold for from $9 to $12 a keg; in 

 1889, 1890, and 1891 the price averaged about $20; in 1892, 1893, and 

 1894, about $40; in 1897 it was $46.58; in 1898 the price was about 

 $73 a keg, while in 1899 the price went as high as $105 a keg. 



The greater part of the caviar produced in this country is shipped to 

 Germany, although a considerable domestic trade has been established 

 of late years. The wholesale dealers usually put up the caviar in 

 ^-pound, A-pound, 1 pound, and 2-pound cans for the retail trade. 



EXTENT OF THE INDUSTRY IN 1897. 



The following tables show in detail the extent of the sturgeon indus- 

 try for the year 1897. About 120 kegs of caviar put up by dealers are 

 not included in the tables, as the fishermen sold the fish in round 

 condition to the dealers. Most of the Salem County fishing is carried 

 on in Cumberland County, but the catch, etc., has been credited to the 

 county in wliich the fishermen live. 



Talile showimj the number of itieti employed in the sturgeon fishery of the Delaware 



Hirer and Bay in 1897. 



States and 

 coiiuties. 



Pennsylvania: 

 Delaware . 



Delaware : 

 Newcastle 



fieut 



Sussex 



Total.... 



States and 

 counties. 



New Jersey : 

 BurliDgton .. 



Salem 



Cumberland. 

 Cape May. .. 



Total 



Grand total 



Fislier- Trans- 

 men, [porters. 



434 

 196 

 54 



978 



Shores- 

 men. 



Total. 



2 



494 



2:!4 

 54 



784 

 1,103 



Table shounnu the shore property and nets employed in the stunjeon fishery of Delaware 



River and Bay in 1S97. 



