d4 
COMPARATIVE STATISTICS OF THE CATCH OF CERTAIN 
PRODUCTS IN 1880 AND 1802. 








| 1880. 1892. jIncrease or decrease. 
. 
Pounds. Value. Pourds. Value, Pounds. Value. 
Alewives...... -..| 45,684,333 $526,546 | 50,176,183 $554,740 |-+13,491,850 as $28, 194 
BIueEhshe So) > fee 14,707,708 366,756 | 15,957,836 637,305 |-+ 1,250,128 270,549 
COde Boece ace os 8 2e| KQ}LI 7) 350 31475,106 | 92.643,811 2,996,691 |—26,493,539 |— 478,415 
Lobsters ... ..... 20,238, 683 631,769 | 23,301,149 1,050,677 |-++ 3,062,466 |-+ 418,908 
Mackerel... . .. -| 73)3%7)563 1,8 3,910 | 17,041,736 1,102,651 |— 56,275,827 |— 761,259 
MGT cede 6,701,950 225,009 | 21,214,840 387,916 |+-14,512,890 162,407 
Salmon. so. 2 sachs 51,633,824 1,086,339 | 93,826,527 39730416 |4-42, 192,703 2,644,077 
Sea Bass.. 2,642,650 113,176 8,401,553 355,002 53758;903 242,426 
Spanish Mackerel 1,887,423 131,639 15773)081 129,259 |/— 114,342 |— 2,380 
+ 271,808 
Squeteague....... | 15,463,560 437,022 | 22,340.433 708,830 |-++ 6,876,873 


In this table we have arranged by sections the statis- 
tics of a number of economic species which furnish the 
basis of important fisheries. We will take first the ale- 
wives or river herring, instituting always comparisons 
between 1880 and 1892. We find for this species an 
increased product of 59,000,000 pounds. And referring 
the increase and decrease to the different geographical 
sections in which this fishery is prosecuted, we find the 
increase wholly in the Middle and South Atlantic States, 
the New England product having fallen off about two 
and a half million pound. It would appear, therefore, 
that so far as this fishery is concerned the methods of 
fishing have had no influence upon the product, and 
that therefore no restrictions are necessary in regard to 
this species. As a matter of fact the capture of the 
herring is made largely in pound nets and in seines. 
When the fish are taken in the pounds many of them, 
both males and females, are ripe, and crowded together 
as they are, involuntary reproduction is accomplished, 
since the squeezing and crowding of the n ultitude 
in the net accomplish precisely the same process that 
we do in artificial propagation. The eggs under these 
conditions are fertilized in vast numbers—being adhes- 
ive and floating off with the tide, they attach themselves 
not only to the walls of the net but to every available 

