268 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



FISHERIES OF MARYLAND. 



The fisheries of Maryland are prosecuted chiefly on the Chesapeake 

 Bay and its tributaries. This bay, the greater part of which is within 

 the jurisdiction of Maryland, is the largest on the coast of the United 

 States, and may properly be regarded as the world's greatest natural 

 oyster-producing area. In addition to the great output of oysters, for 

 which it has long been remarkable, it also produces large quantities 

 of fish of various species, crabs, shrimp, clams ( Venics mercenaria), ter- 

 rapin, and turtles. 



The rivers flowing into the Chesapeake, some of which are of con- 

 siderable importance to navigation, also contribute very largely to the 

 fishery resources of the State. The more important of these are the 

 Potomac, which forms the boundary between Maryland and Virginia 

 on the west and south, the Patuxent, Susquehanna, Chester, Choptank, 

 Nanticoke, Wicomico, and Pocomoke. All of these rivers have fish- 

 eries of greater or less importance, the larger ones being especially ' 

 noted for their abundant yield of shad. 



The principal localities or fishing centers of the State are Baltimore, 

 Annapolis, and Havre de Grace, on the western shore, and St. Michaels, 

 Oxford, Cambridge, and Crisfield, on the eastern shore. The fishing 

 operations are, however, not confined to these localities, but are prose- 

 cuted more or less extensively at almost every village or settlement 

 along the shores. 



Considering that only one county of Maryland reaches the seacoast, 

 and that all the others are located on the Chesapeake Bay and its trib- 

 utaries, the fisheries of the State are very extensive. They surpass, 

 in value of products, those of any other State in the Middle Atlantic 

 region. 



The number of persons employed on vessels fishing and transporting 

 fishery products in 1897 was 8,087; on boats used in various branches 

 of shore fisheries, 18,540; in oyster canneries, shucking and packing 

 houses, 16,185; a total of 42,812. if" 



The fishing fleet comprised 1,419 vessels, engaged in fishing and 

 transporting, having a net register of 23,670 tons and valued at 

 $1,078,560. Their outfits, consisting chiefly of provisions, were 

 valued at $265,982. In the shore fisheries there were 10,077 boats 

 used, having a value of $562,455. 



The various forms of apparatus of capture used on vessels were 

 oyster and crab dredges, oyster tongs, seines, lines, and eel pots, the 

 value of which was $67,537. The apparatus used in the shore or boat 

 fisheries consisted principally of seines, gill nets, pound nets, trap 

 nets, weirs, fyke nets, trammel nets, lines, eel pots, spears, oj^ster and 

 crab dredges, and oyster tongs, valued at $328,122; the total value 

 of apparatus being $395,659. 



