316 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
56. Table showing the extent of the menhaden industry of Rhode Island. 
Designation. 
1887. 
1888. 
N umber of factories in operation . 
3 
$193, 000 
$69, 000 
177 
3 
$193, 000 
$70, 000 
246 
Number of fishermen employed. 
222 
225 
Number nf stea.m vessels employed 
11 
11 
Net - , t,nrma,o-e __ 
766. 88 
747. 56 
Value 
$126, 000 
$30, 000 
l 
$135, 000 
$29, 000 
1 
Value of outfit 
Number of sailing vessels employed in fishing 
Net tonnage 
27. 50 
22.44 
Value 
$r, 500 
$1, 000 
$700 
5 
Va,l n e nf outfit 
$1, 000 
3 
Number of sailing vessels employed as “earryawa.ys ” 
Net tonnage 
42. 32 
64.08 
Value 
$1, 400 
$1, 825 
Value of outfit, 
$180 
$265 
127, 169, 670 
$155, 004 
762, 360 
$168, 418 
8, 551 
Number of menhaden handled 
60, 901, 670 
$73, 072 
538, 623 
$129, 539 
3, 810 
Value to fishermen 
N umber of gallons of oil made 
Value as sold _ 
Number of tons of scrap produced 
Value as sold 
$81,010 
$166, 268 
CONNECTICUT. 
The river fisheries of this State were investigated to the limits of 
tidewater except in the case of the Connecticut, which was canvassed 
for 10 miles above its mouth to Essex. 
One of the most noticeable features in the fisheries of Connecticut is 
the great increase in the oyster industry, which has advanced in value 
from $386,625 in 1880 to $1,012,259. F or details see Notes on the Oyster 
Industry of Connecticut, vol. IX, Bull. U. S. Fish Commission. As an 
offset to this there has been an equal or greater decrease in some of the 
other branches of fishery, notably in the Antarctic fur-seal fishery and 
the menhaden industry. In the former the fleet has declined from 9 
vessels to 1, and in the latter there are now employed only 5 vessels 
against 72 in 1880. The special table for the menhaden industry shows 
8 vessels in the menhaden fishery, but it may be explained that while 
this number was employed in Connecticut only 5 of them belonged to 
the State. 
There has also been a decrease in the ocean food -fish fisheries, but 
the shore fisheries have improved materially. As an instance of this, 
the lobster fishery, which is largely carried on from boats, has increased 
in value from $27,145 in 1880 to $85,723 in 1888. 
The pound-net fishery has grown rapidly, both in apparatus and! 
catch. In 1880 there were only 58 pound nets in the State, but in 1888 
there were 118. The fyke-net fishery also shows improvement, there 
being an increase in this form of apparatus from 255 to 466 in the yearn 
named. 
