72 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



The statistics show a marked decrease in quantity 

 during the past decade, accompanied by an increase 

 in value. Prior to 1897, both quantity and value 

 increased steadily, but in that year an unusually large 

 catch demoralized the price and made the total value 

 much lower than in years for which smaller quantities 

 were reported. Concerning the increase in the shad 

 product during these earlier years, the Report of the 

 Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for 1898 (p. 104) 

 states: 



There was a decrease in the yield in nearly every river on the 

 coast until 1880, when the results of artificial propagation became 

 apparent. * * * Since 1880 the aggregate yield has greatly 

 increased. * * * It should be noted, however, that this largely 

 increased yield has been accompanied and even surpassed by an 

 increase in quantity a'nd effectiveness of the apparatus of capture, 

 but it was made possible by the results of artificial propagation. 



When the shad fisheries were at the height of their 

 activity, they employed nearly 25,000 men and used 

 apparatus valued at over $2,000,000. 



The Middle Atlantic states have always supplied the 

 greater proportion of the shad product, their contri- 

 bution varying from more than one-half to three- 

 fourths of the total; and the South Atlantic states 

 have been next in importance, with a fraction varying 

 from one-fifth to one-third. In the New England 

 states there has been little change from year to year. 



The greater part of the shad product was sold fresh, 

 although a considerable quantity was salted by the 

 Chesapeake Bay fishermen and also by the fishermen 

 of Maine and other states. Gill nets were the leading 

 apparatus of capture, and in 1908 took a quantity 

 representing 61 per cent of the total value. Pound 

 and trap nets, used in the large estuaries, contributed 

 29 per cent of the total value, while the catch with 

 seines represented 8 per cent, and that with all other 

 apparatus 2 per cent. 



Shrimp and prawn. The shrimp is a decapod crus- 

 tacean found in large numbers on all our coasts and in 

 many inland waters. The usual length is about 2 

 inches, but some attain a larger size. They are caught 

 in dip nets, purse nets, etc., and are used for food and 

 bait. The prawn is generally larger than the shrimp, 

 often having a length of 7 inches. 



The catch of shrimp and prawn in 1908 was 19,080,- 

 000 pounds, valued at $494,000. The distribution, by 

 states ranked according to the value of their product, 

 is given in the following tabular statement : 



i Less than 1 per cent. 



The prawn catch included in the above was 4,706,000 

 pounds, valued at $104,000, and the shrimp catch 

 14,374,000 pounds, valued at $390,000. The distri- 

 bution of the prawn product, by states, was as follows : 



By a subtraction of the foregoing figures from those 

 presented for the same states in the tabular statement 

 preceding, figures for the shrimp catch of these states 

 are found to be as follows: Florida, 202,000 pounds, 

 valued at $7,400; Georgia, 134,000 pounds, valued at 

 $6,700; and South Carolina, 291,000 pounds, valued at 

 $12,000. In all the remaining states the total catch 

 was composed of shrimp. 



The bulk of the shrimp and prawn product came 

 from the warm southern waters, and by far the largest 

 portion from Louisiana. In both Louisiana and Mis- 

 sissippi shrimp and prawn ranked next to oysters in 

 value among the fishery products. 



The distribution of the shrimp and prawn catch, by 

 divisions, is shown by the f ollowing tabular statement : 



