SHAD FISHERIES OF THE ATLANTIC COAST. 241 



RARITAN BAY. 



Baritan Bay occupies the triangular space between Staten Island, 

 New York, and the coast of Middlesex and Monmouth counties, N. J., 

 and its waters commingle with those of the ocean through Lower Bay. 

 Its shad fisheries are valuable, the annual yield approximating 50,000, 

 the forms of apparatus used being pound nets, stake nets, seines, and 

 fyke nets. Of the 43,637 shad taken in 1890, 20,702 were obtained in 

 pound nets, 15,075 in stake nets, 1,010 in seines, and 250 in fyke nets. 

 The stake nets are set specially for shad, but the pound nets, seines, 

 and fyke nets depend principally on the catch of other species. 



The stake nets range from 20 to 40 yards in length, averaging about 

 25 yards, and the season extends from the first week of April to the 

 15th or 20th of May. The number of nets used in 1890 was 982, with 

 an aggregate length of 24,304 yards and valuation of $4,250, requiring 

 73 men and 40 boats. Their catch of shad amounted to 8,515 roes and 

 7,100 bucks, valued locally at $3,409. The pound nets are set usually 

 the first week of April, and shad are taken in them from that time until 

 about the middle of May. They are owned by men living at Port 

 Monmouth, Bel ford, and Keansburg, and the number of nets operated 

 in 1830 was 35, valued at $26,750. Twenty-seven boats, worth $5,740, 

 and 50 men were employed, and the catch of shad, which was very 

 much less than usual, numbered 14,552 roes and 12,150 bucks, valued 

 locally at $4,005. The 5 seines aggregated 3,733 yards in length and 

 $2,450 in value, with 2^-inch mesh, and their catch of shad numbered 

 485 roes and 525 bucks, valued locally at $223. These seines are hauled 

 principally for squeteague, striped bass, and alewives. The Port Mon- 

 mouth fyke-net fishermen usually catch a small number of shad, the 

 catch in the 25 fykes in 1896 numbering 140 roes and 110 bucks. 



Raritan River. — The Baritan is the longest river situated wholly 

 within New Jersey. Its sources are in the northwestern part of the 

 State,- the main stream being formed by the junction of the north and 

 south branches, 4 or 5 miles west of Somerville, whence it flows a dis- 

 tance of 45 miles to its entrance into Baritan Bay at South Amboy. 

 It is a tidal and navigable stream from the bay to the city of New 

 Brunswick, a distance of 14 miles. The shad fisheries of Baritan Biver 

 in 1896 consisted in the use of 11 fyke nets, worth $550, which were 

 set near tbe mouth of the river from March 1 to June 10. They were 

 operated by 1 man using 1 boat, worth $60, and the catch of shad 

 approximated 2,500, which were sold locally at $938. These fykes are 

 also set from September to December for striped bass. 



In that section of the New Jersey shore bordering New York Bay 

 and Hudson Biver many shad are caught each year, the yield in 1896 

 being 217,858, of which 49,758 were caught in fyke nets in New York 

 Bay and 168,800 in stake nets in Hudson Biver. A description of the 

 entire fisheries of these water areas is given in the chapter on the 

 shad fisheries of New York State. 

 f. R. 98 16 



