94 



THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



SCALLOP PRODUCTION TOE MASSACHUSETTS. 1 



1 Statistics taken from the United States Fish Commission reports. 



These figures show that the price of scallops varies greatly, de- 

 pendent largely upon the amount caught that season; also that there 

 has been, in spite of the irregularity of the catch, a gradual rise in 

 prices since 1879, due to a more extensive market. 



In considering the scallop industry the following points should be 

 noted: (1) It has been necessary to record as scallop area any grounds 

 where scallops have ever been found, in spite of the fact that only 

 a portion of this total area is in any one year productive. (2) The 

 boats engaged in the scallop fishery are but transitory capital, which 

 is utilized, outside of the scallop season, in other fisheries. (3) The 

 quahaug and scallop fisheries in many towns supplement each other, 

 as the same men and boats are engaged in both industries. (4) The 

 length of the season varies in the different localities. In New Bedford 

 and Fairhaven the scallops are mostly caught in a few weeks, as many 

 boats enter the business temporarily. This necessarily gives an excess 

 of invested capital and a small production. In these two towns the 

 number of scallop licenses are recorded as showing the number of men 

 engaged in the fishery, while as a fact but a small part of these are 

 steadily engaged in the industry. 



