34:2 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHERY. 



By the following estimate, made by Messrs. Monroe & 

 Gemeny, of Alexandria the largest fishery firm in the South 

 I am informed that 25,000,000 herrings are caught in about 

 six weeks, and 5,000,000 shad are taken in the mean time, 

 being in March and April. These are caught by from 20 to 

 25 shad fisheries, giving employment to about 1000 men and 

 from 75 to 100 vessels. Of course, those include the fisheries 

 along the Chesapeake, in both the states of Maryland and 

 Virginia ; yet I prefer to submit those samples of individual 

 enterprise to the state or national reports, because they tell 

 what may be done by showing what is being done by indi- 

 vidual industry, instead of trying to deduce from the aggre- 

 gate estimates in elaborate national or state reports what 

 proportion of the income of all the states is derived frofn 

 their fisheries ; whereas these are confined to a small portion 

 of our borders, and comparatively few men and small means 

 are employed in them. 



HADDOCKS. 



The sale of"jinnan haddies" per diem for six months of the year in 



New York averages 1000 Ibs., at 10 cents ". $100 00 



Boston, 2000 Ibs 200 00 



Portland, 1500 Ibs 150 00 



$450 00 

 Thus amounting in six months for those three cities to $81,900 00 



It is stated by competent authority that 3000 Ibs. of "Jin- 

 nan haddies" per day for six months in the year are cured in 

 Portland, Maine, and that more than half of them are sold in 

 the Dominion of Canada. It is becoming so large an indus- 

 try in the United States that a brief account of its origin may 

 prove interesting. 



FLNDON HADDOCKS. 



The luxury known as " finnan haddies" was first cured at 

 Findon, near Aberdeen, in Scotland. I can not learn when 



