﻿40 BULLETIN 2, U. S. DEPARTMENT. OF AGRICULTURE. . 



observations so far made, which in many particulars are necessarily- 

 incomplete. A fuller study of the subject doubtless will cause a cer- 

 tain revision of these opinions. 



IN THE LIGHT OF THE PAST HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY. 



From the table on page 7, setting forth the statistics of the fish- 

 scrap industry for the years 1873 to 1898, inclusive, it may be seen 

 that the industry has been on its present basis since 1885. The 

 annual catch has varied, the variation being determined as much, 

 perhaps, by the success of the fishermen — " fishermen's luck " — as by 

 the status of the industry, and the annual output in oil and scrap has 

 not varied greatly from 70,000 tons of scrap and 35,000 barrels of oil. 

 There has not been that growth in the recent past which would war- 

 rant a belief in a growth in the future. 



During the last year there was quite an impetus noted in the 

 industry, due largely to the very successful season of the preceding 

 year, 1911. While there were a number of new plants under con- 

 struction or beginning operations in 1912, whose establishment was 

 attributable largely to the prosperous season of 1911, there were 

 others which did not share in this prosperity and were either out of 

 commission or in the hands of receivers. 



The greatest change in the fish-scrap industry of the last 25 years 

 has been the introduction within recent years of improved machinery 

 for manufacturing the scrap. The success of this move has been 

 pronounced. This success has been almost too recent to enable one 

 to saj^ what effect it will have on the industry. But since the main 

 expense involved in the industry lies in the operation of the boats 

 and the main profit in the success of the boats, it is evident that 

 changes in the factory proper can not have a far-reaching influence 

 on the industry as a whole. 



IN THE LIGHT OF THE SUPPLY OF FISH. 



Kepeated inquiries among the menhaden fishermen with respect to 

 the decrease in the number of fish have failed to reveal any impor- 

 tant indication that the menhaden are any less abundant to-day than 

 in times past. Occasionally the opinion is expressed that they have 

 decreased; but frequently this opinion is based on the disappearance 

 of the fish from certain inclosed bodies of water from entering which 

 they are prevented by the large number of fishing steamers operating 

 at the entrance to such bodies of water. As has been pretty conclu- 

 sively indicated, the number of fish caught by the fishermen is hardly 

 significant when compared with those destroyed by the carnivorous 

 fish which prey upon them. It is not to be expected, therefore, that 

 even increasing fishing will impair their numbers, unless, indeed, cer- 



