PREFACE. 



THE FISHERIES OF THE U1STTED STATES. 



[Reprinted from the Official Catalogue, pp. 175, 176.] 



In 1880, according to the returns of the Census Bureau, the number 

 of persons employed in the fisheries industries of the United States was. 

 131,426, of whom 101,084 were fishermen, and the remainder shoresmen.. 

 The fishing fleet consisted of 6,605 vessels (with a tonnage of 208,297.82), 

 and 44,804 boats, and the total amount of capital invested was $37,955,349,. 

 distributed as follows: Vessels, $9,357,282; boats, $2,465,393; minor ap- 

 paratus and outfits, $8,145,261; other capital, including shore property,, 

 $17,987,413. 



The value of the fisheries of the sea, the great rivers, and the great 

 lakes was placed at $43,046,053, and that of those in minor inland 

 waters at $1,500,000; in all, $44,546,053. These values were estimated 

 upon the basis of the prices of the products received by the producers,, 

 and if average wholesale prices had been considered the value would, 

 have been much greater. In 1882 the yield of the fisheries was much 

 greater than in 1880, and prices both ; 'at first hand" and at wholesale 

 were higher, so that a fair estimate at wholesale market rates w r ouldi 

 place their value at the present time rather above than below the sum 

 of $100,000,000. 



Since 1865 the fisheries have increased in extent and value to a de- 

 gree without parallel in their previous history. Before the war of the 

 rebellion (1861-'65) many of the fisheries which are now most important 

 had no existence, and for four or five decades preceding only the oyster 

 fishery, whale fishery, cod fishery, mackerel fishery, and shad and 

 alewife fisheries were of any considerable importance. The recent in- 

 crease is chiefly due (1) to the introduction of the improved methods of 

 refrigeration, by means of which sea-fish are distributed widely through- 

 out the interior of the country; (2) to greatly extended facilities for 

 steam transportation; (3) to the extended introduction of methods of 



