68 THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



York and Boston markets, either directly by the quahaugers or through 

 Nantucket firms. 



The boats used in the industry, numbering 24 sail, 6 power and 10 

 single dories, and approximating $6,150 in value, are in a way transi- 

 tory capital, and are used in the winter for scalloping and other fishing. 

 Nevertheless, it is necessary to class them as capital used in the qua- 

 haug fishery. 



No special town laws are made for the regulation of the Nantucket 

 quahaug fishery, although at any time by vote of the town suitable 

 regulations and by-laws can be made. 



Quahaugs have probably always been abundant at Nantucket, as over 

 fifty years ago they were reported as plentiful. It is only of late years 

 that the fishery has assumed any great importance, when the increasing 

 prices, especially for the " little necks," made it profitable for men to 

 enter the business. As it is, many men now quahaug only when they 

 have nothing else to do. 



From the statistics of the United States Fish Commission for 1879 

 we find that the annual catch for that year amounted to 150 bushels, 

 valued at $75. As a striking contrast to this, the present production 

 of 6,294 bushels, valued at $8,487, shows the great development of the 

 fishery, which has been caused by more men entering the business, the 

 opening up of new beds, such as the " little neck " beds of Tuckernuck, 

 and the improved methods of raking in the deep water. 



It is rather difficult to state definitely, from lack of past statistical 

 figures, whether Nantucket industry is declining or improving. Between 

 1879 and 1906 no records are obtainable. The production figures for 

 1906 show 6,477 bushels, as compared with 6,144 bushels in 1907. 

 Whether there was merely a sudden temporary increase in the supply 

 by the opening up of new beds in 1906, or whether there is a steady 

 decline, can only be determined by the production of future years. 

 Many indications point to the latter, in spite of the assurance of the 

 quahaugers that 1907 was a good season, because of high market prices. 



The last few years have witnessed a change in the quahaug fishery, 

 a realization that there is more money in planting and raising qua- 

 haugs than in oyster culture. The out-of-State oystermen, especially 

 in New York, have been the first to realize this, and have been 

 buying, at the rate of $4 to $5 per bushel, all the small quahaugs they 

 can procure, merely replanting, to reap the following year a yield of 

 3 to 6 bushels for every bushel planted. 



Under the stimulus of the high prices offered, many bushels of small 

 quahaugs have been shipped from the town, which thus lost what the 

 planters gained. There is much feeling against such a practice, but 

 so far nothing has been done by the town to stop this shipping of 

 " seed " quahaugs. As the town has full control of its shellfisheries, 

 it has only to pass a simple law allowing no quahaugs under 2 inches 



