362 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



ters, clams, quahogs, scallops, fish oil, glue, etc., valued at $1,764,518; 

 the total value of the trade being $8,951,653. 



In comparing the statistics of this trade for 1889 and 1898, so far as 

 such a comparison is practicable, it should be remembered that the 

 business done by firms handling fish on commission was included in 

 the former year, but not in the latter. The data for 1898 show a con- 

 siderable increase in the quantity and value of fresh fish, but a decrease 

 in some of the other products; the total value of the trade being 

 $2,148,606 less than in 1889. 



Gloucester is one of the most important fish-producing centers in 

 the United States, but its wholesale fishery trade is much less extensive 

 than that of Boston. It consists principally in the preparation and 

 distribution of salted and smoked fish and a large variety of secondary 

 products, such as fish oil, glue, isinglass, and fertilizer. In December, 

 1897, the fresh-fish business, which has now become an important 

 feature of the fishery trade at Gloucester, was established and carried 

 on by a company known as ""The Gloucester Fresh Fish Company." 

 Prior to that time halibut was almost the only food species handled 

 extensively in a fresh condition. The greater part of the fish utilized 

 in all branches of the fishery trade at Gloucester is caught and landed 

 by vessels owned there. A limited quantity is also obtained from other 

 sources. 



The number of firms in the wholesale trade in 1898 was 59. There 

 were 4 firms in the fresh-fish business, 39 in the salted, smoked, and 

 boneless fish trades, 10 in the manufacturing of fish oil, glue, isinglass, 

 and fertilizer, and 6 in box-making and other related industries. The 

 number of persons engaged in the trade, as proprietors and employees, 

 was 1,425; the amount of wages paid, $574,342; and the investment in 

 shore property and cash capital, $3,055,776. The products embraced 

 fresh fish, 28,229,677 pounds, $793,505; salted fish 26,131,752 pounds, 

 $1,011,177; boneless fish prepared from the salted fish and stated 

 separatel}^ on account of the importance of the quantity and value, 

 24,680,404 pounds, $1,356,796; smoked fish, 4,796,794 pounds, $220,047; 

 and other products, including canned fish, fish oil, glue, isinglass, fer- 

 tilizer, etc., 19,176,774 pounds, $705,456; the total quantity of products 

 handled in all branches of the trade being 103,015,401 pounds, having 

 a value of $4,086,981. t 



There was a decrease in the total products of the trade in 1898, as 

 compared with 1889, of 15,160,990 pounds in quantity and $1,534,175 

 in value. The fresh, smoked, and canned fish, glue, isinglass, and fer- 

 tilizer products have increased, but the quantity of salted and boneless 

 fish decreased 42,021,835 pounds and the value $1,825,311. There was 

 also a slight decrease in the quantity and value of fish oil. 



The extent of the wholesale fishery trade of Boston and Gloucester 

 is presented in the following tables for the year 1898. 



