304 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



increase yearly in abundance. One-third of the 1879 catch was sent to New York and Providence, 

 the remainder being consumed at home. The lobsters are all sold in Bristol. 



The capital invested at Bristol in traps, boats, and fixtures, nets and seines, and a small sloop, 

 is $2,053. The value of the products is $4,755, and comprise 100,000 pounds of fresh fish, 30,000 

 pounds of swordfish, 5,000 pounds of eels, and 23,000 pounds of lobsters. 



Warren represents the northern limit of the fishing industry iu Narragansett Bay, with but a 

 small amount taken here. During the spring five heart-pounds are fished for shad in the Warren 

 River near its outlet into the bay. The catch of 1880 averaged 1,000 shad to each pound, of an 

 average weight of 3J pounds each. Two-thirds of the catch was sold at Providence and one-third at 

 Warren and Bristol. Clams are found quite plenty. On an average twelve men in the summer and 

 four during the winter work the clam flats. Six men with three small sail-boats and eighteen 

 dredges fish the scallop-beds during the season, which by law lasts from September 15 to May 

 15. The State law also limits the catch of each boat to 15 bushels a day. The law as to quantity 

 is not as generally observed or enforced at the various fishing stations as the time; the close 

 season being quite generally observed. Scallops are sold at New York and Providence; clams at 

 the latter city and at Rocky Point, Rhode Island. 



The capital invested in the fisheries of this place in five heart-traps, three scalloping boats, 

 eighteen dredges, and ten boats with fixtures for clam digging, amounts to $1,872. The products 

 for 1880 are 5,000 shad, 2,500 bushels of clams, and 1,000 gallons of scallops, worth $3,862.50. The 

 number of fishermen employed six mouths iu the year are eighteen, all of them Americans. 



PAWTUXET. Pawtuxet is located on the Providence River, 4 miles south of the city of Provi- 

 dence, and is the clam town of the State. The main business of the place is the fishery for clams and 

 scallops. Seventy-five men are engaged most of the year in that industry or iu net fishing. During 

 the summer season nearly twice that number are engaged, and the average number for the year 

 is one hundred. The products of 1880 amount to 40,000 bushels of clams and 10,000 bushels of 

 scallops. The latter are always opened before they are sent to market and many of the clams. 

 This gives employment during the busy season to one hundred persons, mostly women and 

 children. 



Clams are dug on both sides of the Providence River. Of late years some complaint has been 

 made of their not being as plenty as in former years. During 1880 large clams were not as 

 abundant as usual, but small clams were more plenty than for years and give promise of a bountiful 

 supply iu the future. During the summer months most of the clams are used at the summer 

 resorts, where they sell from $1.25 to $1.40 a bushel. Providence and the local trade take any 

 surplus. A small amount are forwarded to Boston. The price during the winter is from 75 cents 

 to $1 a bushel. An average price during the year being $1. Scallops are shipped to New York 

 and to Providence for a market. 



From April until November scup, tantog, squeteague, and bluefish are taken iu seines and 

 nets, twelve men fishing them iu Mount Hope and Greenwich Bays. Eels arc plenty. They are 

 caught near home and sent to New York. One smack, 20 feet long, is used ; the other boats are 

 of the skiff pattern. Two gill-nets are fished ; each is 115 fathoms long and 21 feet deep. They 

 are made of 4 to 4 inch mesh. In these nets are caught bluefish and sea-trout. An average day's 

 catch is 50 pounds, although 1,000 pounds have been taken in one day by one gill-net. The two 

 seines are 100 fathoms each in length and 15 feet deep. The mesh is 3i inches. Three men are 

 required to haul one of these nets, which are fished from March until September. The species 

 chiefly taken is scup. The average daily catch is 200 pounds, taken at about five hauls of the net. 



