256 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



Alewives. The alewife product has long been im- 

 portant among the fishery products of Virginia, and 

 both the quantity and value increased greatly from 

 1904 to 1908. The catch in 1908, amounting to 

 37,885,000 pounds, valued at $171,000, was greater 

 in both quantity and value than that reported for any 

 other state, and furnished 42 per cent of the weight 



and nearly 30 per cent of the value of the total alewife 

 product of the United States. The increase in the 

 quantity of the catch since 1904 amounted to almost 

 160 per cent, and that in the value to 88 per cent. 



The following tabular statement gives statistics for 

 certain years from 1880 to 1908: 



TABLE 1. VIRGINIA FISHERY PRODUCTS: 1908. 



1 Includes apparatus, with catch, as follows: Dredges, tongs, etc., 45,954,000 pounds, valued at X2.7X1.W: dip nets, 828,000 pounds, valued at $29,000; eel pots, 48,000 

 pounds, valued at $2,100; traps, 300 pounds, valued at 8400; and minor apparatus, 1,617,000 pounds, valued at $97,000. 



Less than $100. 1.309.000 bushels. ' 1.322.000 bushels. 2,300 gallons. 



3 Less than 100 pounds. 2,303,000 bushels. B 81,000 bushels. ' 1,000 skins. 



< 246,000 bushels. 



