82 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES; 1908. 



the products, although its value formed only 9 per 

 cent of the total value. It is chiefly a product of the 

 shore and boat fisheries, and is caught almost entirely 

 in trammel nets, less than 4 per cent being caught in 

 seines and gill nets in 1908. 



Catfish. The catfish ranked third in the order of 

 value. The figures for this fish represent both the 

 fresh-water and the salt-water varieties, and practically 

 all of the catch was reported by the shore and boat 

 fisheries. They are caught with a variety of appara- 

 tus trammel nets, fyke nets, lines, seines, and traps. 



Other products. The buffalo fish, squeteague, and 

 fresh-water drum were important products of about 



equal commercial value. The buffalo fish and the drum 

 were caught in the Tennessee River and the fresh- 

 water tributaries of the Gulf, while the squeteague was 

 reported by both the shore and the vessel fisheries of 

 the Gulf district. Hickory shad and carp were re- 

 ported solely from the Tennessee River, and groupers 

 and shrimp solely by the vessel fisheries. Black bass, 

 sturgeon, and sunfish were taken in the shore and 

 boat fisheries of the Gulf district as well as in the 

 Tennessee River, and the remainder of the enumer- 

 ated products were taken in the vessel fisheries and 

 in the shore and boat fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico 

 district. 



ALABAMA FISHERY PRODUCTS: 1908. 



i Includes apparatus, with catoh, as follows: Tongs, 4,132,000 pounds, valued at $173,000; gill nets, 35,000 pounds, valued at $1,200; spears, etc., 14,000 pounds, valued 

 at $700; and minor apparatus, 17,000 pounds, valued at $600. 



* Less than $100. 473,000 bushels. * 63,000 bushels. 54,000 bushels. 



ARKANSAS. 



The fishing grounds of Arkansas are principally the 

 Mississippi River; its tributaries, the Arkansas, White, 

 St. Francis, Ouachita, Black, and Cache Rivers; and 

 Big Lake. Buffalo fish and catfish were the leading 

 species of fish caught, while mussel shells, together 

 with pearls and slugs, almost equaled in importance 

 these two fish products combined. The following 

 statement gives a general summary of the state's fish- 

 eries for 1908: 



Number of persons employed 998 



Capital: 



Vessels and boats, including outfit $45, 000 



Apparatus of capture 31, 000 



Shore and accessory property 13, 000 



Value of products 207,000 



Comparison with previous canvasses. A comparison 

 of the figures for 1908 with those for previous years 

 shows a considerable increase in the fishery invest- 

 ments and products. The following tabular state- 

 ment gives a summary of the fisheries of Arkansas for 

 1894, 1899, and 1908: 



