35 
MELA TIONS 'OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE 
FISHERIES: 
(A paper read before the American Fisheries Society, 1894.) 
As preliminary to the discussion of this topic, it is 
well to bring to the attention of this Society the extent 
and importance of our fishing industries. The United 
States Commission has recently completed and is now 
publishing a paper on the “Sraristics OF THE FISHERIES 
OF THE UNITED StTaTES.” By reference to this report 
you will find that the commercial fisheries of this country 
give employment to 182,407 persons; represents an 
investment in vessels, boats, fishing gear, buildings, 
wharves and other property, of $58,355,000, and yield 
products of the annual value of $45,000,000 in first 
hands. The cost to the consumer is probably three 
times the amount received by the fishermen, or about 
$130,000,000 per annum. If we add to the number of 
persons actually employed in the fisheries those who 
are dependent upon them, as also the large number of 
people engaged in various other occupations which are 
directly or indirectly dependent upon the fisheries, it is 
safe to assume that the fishing industries of the United 
States furnish the means of support to over 1,000,000 of 
the inhabitants of this country, or to one person in every 
sixty-five of population. 
The conditions under which our sea coast and great 
lake fisheries are prosecuted are peculiar, and without 
parallel when we compare them with the industries of 
the land. Individual ownership and control is the 
foundation upon which rests all of our industrial enter 
