346 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



and $1,332,320, or 43 per cent, in value. The net tonnage has also 

 decreased about 48 per cent. An instance of the gradual decrease in 

 vessels during the past nine years is furnished by the fishing fleet 

 at Gloucester, Mass. From July 1, 1897, to November 15, 1898, 27 

 vessels were sold and 24 lost; in the same period 11 vessels were 

 purchased and 7 built; the net decrease in the fleet in the 17i months 

 being 33 vessels. The vessels sold and lost have generally been larger 

 in size than those taking their places and the percentage of decrease 

 in number has therefore not been so large as in value and tonnage. 

 The decrease in boats is nearly 25 per cent in number and 30 percent 

 in value, and in the value of the apparatus of capture about 44 per cent. 

 In the meantime there has been an increase of $2,067,041 in the value 

 of shore and accessor}^ property, and of $513,050 in the cash capital; 

 resulting in an increase in the total investment of $127,673. 



The products in 1898 as compared with 1889, if the various species of 

 algae gathered b}^ fishermen are included, have decreased 96,959,852 

 pounds in quantity and $1,394,547 in value. In 1889 the algae consisted 

 of seaweed and Irish moss, and amounted to 117,993,900 pounds, valued 

 at $66,034, and in 1898 of 700,000 pounds of Irish moss, worth $22,375. 

 Eliminating these items for both years, the fishery products proper in 

 1898 show an increase of 20,334,048 pounds in quantity and a decrease 

 of $1,350,888 in value. 



The following tables show the persons employed, the number and 

 value of vessels, boats, and apparatus of capture, the value of shore and 

 accessory property, the amount of cash capital, and the quantity and 

 value of the products of the fisheries of Massachusetts in 1898. 



Persons employed. 



I 



On v&ssels fishing 

 On vessels transporting 

 In shore or boat fisheries 

 Shoresmen 



Total 



Table of apparatus and capital 



Items. 



No. 



Vessels fishing _. . . 



Tonnage '. . . 



Outfit 



629 

 30,494 



Vessels transporting 



•8 



Tonnage 



64 



Outfit 





Boats 



2,625 



Apparatus — vessel fisheries: 

 Seines 



220 



Gill nets 



2,961 



Trap nets 



4 



Drag nets 



6 



Lines, hand and trawl 





Pots, lobster 



1,792 



Pots, eel 



40 



Harpoons a 



338 



Dredges 



350 



Minor apparatus 





Value. 



51,772,725 



939, 369 

 3,300 



403 

 178,082 



84, 996 



32, 021 



900 



350 



213, 962 



2,094 



40 



1,200 



1,414 



105 



Items. 



Apparatus — shore fisheries: 



Seines 52 



Gill nets 1, 671 



Pound nets and trap nets. . I 126 



Dip nets 213 



Fyke nets 88 



Drag nets ! 21 



Lines, hand and trawl 



Pots, lobster 24, 462 



Pots,eel 1,250 



Dredges 2, 263 



Tongs, rakes, and forks 



Minor apparatus 



Shore and accessory property 



Cash capital '. 



Total. 



$3, 386 



18, 291 



141,835 



272 



1, 124 



1,260 



7,403 



29, ;^7 



2,336 



7, 638 



6,147 



364 



5, 125, 248 



4, 797, 2.tO 



13, 372, 902 



aTheharpoons, guns, etc., used on whaling vessels iir(> included with the "tmtfits" of vessels fishing. 



