180 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



catch reported for the Gulf of Mexico fisheries was 

 5,413,000 pounds, valued at $78,000. This value 

 represents 17 per cent of the total value of the fishery 

 products of the Gulf district, and is smaller than the 

 corresponding value for the Mississippi River district. 

 The bulk of the catch of fish proper was composed of 

 two low-priced species, menhaden and mullet; but 

 squeteague led in value, followed by mullet. 



The value of the fishery product from the Mississippi 

 River district amounted to 17 per cent of the value of 

 the total state product. Except for a small shrimp 

 catch, the entire product consisted of fish proper. The 

 quantity of fish proper taken in this district was 

 smaller than that taken in the Gulf district, which 

 formed 64 per cent of the total weight, but, as already 

 stated, the value of the river catch was greater. 

 Buffalo fish was the leading species, contributing over 

 one-half of the weight and over one-third of the value 

 of the Mississippi River product. Catfish ranked next 

 in quantity and value, and was closely followed by 

 paddlefish and paddlefish caviar. 



Products, by class of fisheries. Table 4, on page 184, 

 gives statistics of the weight and value, by species and 

 by apparatus of capture, of the product taken by the 

 vessel fisheries of Mississippi on the Gulf of Mexico, 

 and Table 5, on page 184, gives similar statistics for 

 the shore and boat fisheries of the same district. 

 Oysters contributed 50 per cent of the value of the 

 product taken by shore and boat fisheries of the Gulf 

 district. The fish proper reported by this class of 

 fisheries had a value of $50,000, squeteague being the 

 leading fish with respect to value, and mullet ranking 

 second. The catch of crabs made in the Gulf shore 

 and boat fisheries, which comprised the entire crab 

 product of Mississippi, ranked next to the mullet 

 product in value. 



The following tabular statement distributes the 

 value of products reported for the state as a whole 

 and for each class of fisheries, by species arranged in 

 order of value : 



With the exception of one vessel of 11 tons, all of 

 the Mississippi River fisheries were of the shore and 

 boat class. 



Products, by apparatus of capture. Fyke and hoop 

 nets, pound nets, and shrimp traps were used exclu- 

 sively in the Mississippi River district, and cast nets, 

 shrimp nets, and dredges and tongs, exclusively in 

 the Gulf district, while seines, trammel nets, and lines 

 were common to both districts. 



The total value of products for the state, distributed 

 by apparatus of capture and by fishery districts, is 

 shown in the following tabular statement: 



The following tabular statement distributes the total 

 value of products for the state as a whole and for each 

 class of fisheries by apparatus of capture, arranged in 

 the order of value of their catch: 



