[15 J FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATER. 1045 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE STATES. 



The products of the commercial fisheries of the Middle States include 

 a great many kinds of fish, most of which are consumed fresh. In 1880 

 the total weight of all the fish taken in these States, which embrace 

 New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, was 413,525,882 

 pounds, aud included 318,588,700 pounds of menhaden, 23,228,100 

 pounds of shelled oysters, 11,063,500 pounds of squeteague {Cynoscion 

 regalis), 0,710,800 pounds of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), and many 

 other species of fish and miscellaneous products. Of the whole prod- 

 uct more than 70 per cent, was consumed as fertilizers, about 12 per 

 cent, was fish sold fresh for food, and about 2,500,000 pounds of fish 

 were salted ; the balance included 41,508 pounds of terrapin, over 

 9,000,000 pounds of crabs, and about 10,000,000 pounds of shelled clams. 



THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



The rivers, bays, and adjacent ocean waters of the Southern States 

 on the Atlantic seaboard abound in excellent food-fish, but the fish- 

 eries are but partially developed. In 1880 there were 297,539,167 pounds 

 of fishery products taken in these States, which embrace Maryland, 

 Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Eastern Florida. Ee- 

 ferring to Bulletin No. 298, Tenth Census, we find that fully two-fifths, 

 or 124,231,240 pounds, of the entire product are oyster meats, an allow- 

 ance of seven pounds being made for each bushel of oysters in the shell. 

 Of the remainder, 92,194,800 pounds are menhaden (used for oil and 

 guano), 32,184,372 pounds are alewives, and 10,878,042 pounds are shad. 

 These are the only species taken in quantities exceeding 5,000,000 

 pounds. Five kinds, the mullet, crab, bluefish, perch, and striped bass, 

 are taken in quantities exceeding 2,000,000 pounds, while the catch of 

 nine others ranges between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 pounds. 



THE OYSTER INDUSTRY. 



The oyster industry in 1880 yielded 22,195,370 bushels, worth to the 

 producers $9,034,861, which value was increased by replanting or by 

 packing in tiu cans so that the marketable value wa^ $13,403,852. The 

 proportion produced by the different States was as follows : For New 

 Hampshire, 1,000 bushels; Massachusetts, 36,000 bushels; Rhode Isl- 

 and, 163,200 bushels ; Connecticut, 336,450 bushels ; New York, 1,043,300 

 bushels; New Jersey, 1,975,000 bushels; Delaware, 300,000 bushels; 

 Maryland, 10,600,000 bushels; Virginia, 6,837,320 bushels; North Caro- 

 lina, 170,000 bushels ; South Carolina, 50,000 bushels; Georgia, 70,000 

 bushels; Florida, 78,600 bushels; Alabama, 104,500 bushels; Missis- 

 sippi, 25,000 bushels ; Louisiana, 295,000 bushels; Texas, 95,000 bushels; 

 Washington Territory, 15,000 bushels. 



Oysters are marketed either in the shell, shucked, or steamed and 

 canned under the trade name of " Cove oysters." The methods of pre- 



