SHAD FISHERIES OP THE ATLANTIC COAST. 



127 



moving the seines and other apparatus of capture over the spawning- 

 grounds disturbs and drives away the fish from those areas and destroys 

 many of the eggs and young shad already there. 



The construction of dams has excluded shad from a large portion of 

 the spawning grounds, notwithstanding the erection of fishways in. 

 those obstructions. Sawdust, chemicals, and other refuse, and agricul- 

 tural operations, have greatly impaired the utility of the spawning 

 areas even now available, and the extensive fisheries have very largely 

 decreased the number of shad reaching those areas. These adverse 

 agencies have reduced natural reproduction to almost an insignificant 

 factor in keeping up a supply ample to maintain the present fisheries, 

 rendering artificial propagation essential to their prosperity. They so 

 affected the abundance of shad that during the Seventies the returns 

 of the fisheries reached a minimum. Then the results of artificial 

 propagation began to appear, not only maintaining an equilibrium, but 

 greatly increasing the abundance. While the increased yield was pre- 

 ceded by an increase in the quautity of apparatus used, yet it was made 

 possible by the greater abundance of shad due to artificial propaga- 

 tion. Comparing 1880 with 1896, it is observed that the increase in 

 the yield numbered 7,891,114. At 25 cents each (the average paid by 

 consumers), this represents an increase of $1,972,778 in the value, over 

 sixty times the expenditure for shad propagation, a result probably 

 unsurpassed in any other line of fish-culture. 



The general condition of the shad fisheries along the entire coast 

 having been noted we now proceed to a description of the fisheries of 

 each individual water area, those areas being grouped according to 

 States, beginning with the southernmost and proceeding northward. 



THE SHAD FISHERIES OF FLORIDA. 



The extent by water areas of each branch of the shad fisheries of 

 Florida in 1896 is presented in the following series of three tables, 

 showing (1) the number of persons employed, (2) the boats, apparatus, 

 etc., used, and (3) the number and value of shad taken. There are but 

 two rivers in this State which support commercial shad fisheries, viz, 

 the St. Johns and the St. Marys. 



Statement, by water areas, of the number of persons employed in each branch of the shad 

 fisheries of Florida in 1896. 



