2l6 THE OYSTER. 



to the end of the season of 1888, are given in the fol- 

 lowing table: 



TOTAL NUMBER OF SHAD TAKEN EACH YEAR. 



The money value to the fishermen of the excess in 

 1888 over the total catch of 1880 was more than 

 $700,000. I have no record for 1889 or 1890, but 

 last year, 1890, the fisheries were more profitable than 

 they have been for many years, and our markets were 

 stocked with an abundance of fine shad, which were 

 sold at prices which ten years ago would not have been 

 thought possible. The percentage of increase in 1889 

 and 1890 has been much greater than it was in any of 

 the years given in the table, and this result is not due 

 to any change in the method of fishing. It is exclu- 

 sively due to the increase in the supply. 



The conditions are now more unfavorable than ever 

 to natural reproduction, and it can be proved that if 

 no shad had been produced by man, while the other 

 factors had remained as they now are, the fisheries 

 would be completely ruined and abandoned. 



The mature fishes are now excluded by dams and 



