REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. Lot 
The quantity of products derived from the fisheries was 528,948,797 
pounds, valued at $12,280,401 as they leave the hands of the fisher- 
men; this does not include the enhancement in value as the result of 
canning or other methods of preparation beyond those employed by 
the fishermen, nor the higher price received for products handled in 
the wholesale fishery trade. The leading species in the New England 
fisheries are alewives, cod, cusk, eels, flounders, haddock, hake, pol- 
lock, halibut, herring, mackerel, menhaden, scup, shad, smelt, sque- 
teague, swordfish, whiting or silver hake, squid, lobsters, quahogs or 
hard clams, soft clams, and oysters. ‘The products of the whale fish- 
eries are also of considerable importance. 
Since 1898, the year for which the last previous canvass of these 
states was made, there has been an increase in the products of the 
fisheries of 34.43 per cent in quantity and of 26.83 per cent in value. 
There has also been asmall increase in the number of persons employed 
and in the amount of capital invested. 
An interesting occurrence in connection with the New England 
fisheries during the past year, 1903, was the shipment from Province- 
town, Mass., of a cargo of 286,000 pounds of frozen squid, out of cold 
storage, to St. Pierre and Miquelon, for use as bait by the French 
fishermen in the Grand Bank cod fisheries. The vessel carrying this 
eargo was the steamer Alice M. Jacobs of Gloucester, Mass., com- 
manded by Capt. Solomon Jacobs, of that port. The voyage was suc- 
cessfully made, and the fish met with a ready sale on reaching St. 
Pierre. The Gloucester Daily Times, of March 25, 1903, refers to the 
incident as follows: 
After loading the squid at Provincetown, the steamer sailed from there two weeks — 
ago Wednesday and reached St. Pierre the following Saturday. To avoid the ice, 
Captain Jacobs went to the southward of Sable Island, and St. Pierre bore 130 miles 
north-northeast before he shaped his course for it. 
On reaching that port he had no trouble in disposing of his cargo, the French 
bankers coming alongside and taking their baiting, although they had not yet fitted 
out. All were disposed of in this way except 20,000 pounds, which were put in cold 
storage, as Captain Jacobs was anxious to get away and home to fit for seining. 
Captain Jacobs says the fishermen were pleased with the squid and wanted him 
to return in about three weeks with a cargo of herring, for which they were willing 
to pay a big price. 
FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 
In the South Atlantic States, namely, North Carolina, South Caro- 
lina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida, the number of persons 
engaged in the coast fisheries in 1902 was 23,452. There were 17,711 
fishermen on vessels and boats, and 5,741 shoresmen employed in the 
various branches of industry dependent on the fisheries. 
The total amount of capital invested was $2,991,149; the number of 
vessels employed was 526, valued at $392,661; the value of their outfit 
