FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 255 



FISHERIES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



Pennsylvania is the only State in the Middle Atlantic region which 

 has no frontage on the ocean. B}^ means of a small fleet of vessels, 

 however, there is carried on a line fishery for salt-water species in the 

 ocean, and also a large fishery for oysters in Delaware Bay. The 

 principal other coast fisheries of the State are those of the Delaware 

 and Susquehanna rivers. The statistics here presented relate to coast 

 fisheries and therefore do not cover that part of the State bordering 

 on Lake Erie, nor the Susquehanna River and tributaries above York 

 and Lancaster counties, though since the break in the dam at Columbia 

 shad have ascended the Susquehanna River as far as Duncannon and 

 the Juniata River as far as Newport. 



The most important fisheries are those with seines and gill nets for 

 shad on the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers and the vessel fishery for 

 oysters in Delaware Bay. A considerable part of the oyster industry 

 of New Jersey and Delaware and some of the largest seine fisheries 

 in New Jersey are controlled in Pennsylvania. 



The number of persons engaged in the coast fisheries of the State 

 was 1,898, of whom 318 were on vessels fishing and transporting, 1,143 

 in the shore fisheries, and 437 were shoresmen. The number of vessels 

 fishing and transporting fishery products was 40, having a value, with 

 their outfits, of $91,755; the number of the boats in the shore fisheries 

 was 504, valued at $21,485; the apparatus of capture used on vessels was 

 valued at $2,591, and on boats, $25,021 ; the value of the shore and acces- 

 sory property was $828,576, and the amount of cash capital utilized, 

 $632,100; a total investment, including the cash capital, of $1,601,528. 



The products of the fisheries comprised 3,740,801 pounds of fish, 

 having a value of $125,341; 265,934 bushels of oysters, valued at 

 $143,974; and 1,924 pounds of terrapins, turtles, and frogs, worth. 

 $192; the total value of products being $269,507. 



The three tables which follow show in detail the extent of the coast 

 fisheries of Pennsylvania in 1897; 



Table of persons employed. 



How engaged. 



On vessels fishing 



On vessels transporting 



On boats in shore fisheries 

 Shoresmen 



Total 



No. 



302 



16 



1,143 



437 



1,898 



