12 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 



being shipped to England. 1 About 3,000,000 lobsters are said to be taken in the 

 British Isles in a year, while the total number captured on the North Atlantic coast 

 of America has undoubtedly in some years reached close to 100,000,000. 



The total quantity of lobsters taken in the United States in 1880 was 20,238,683 

 pounds, valued at $488,432; of this quantity, 19,946,733 pounds, worth $477,484, were 

 taken in the New England States, and 291,950 pounds, valued at $10,948, in the 

 Middle Atlantic States. In 1887 the United States lobster catch was 28,882,180 

 pounds, with a market value of $799,717, of which 28,627,600 pounds, worth $784,238, 

 were caught in New England and 254,580 pounds, valued at $15,479, in the Middle 

 Atlantic region. The output of the New England lobster fishery in 1889 was 

 30,449,603 pounds, valued at $833,736; of this catch, 25,001,351 pounds, worth 

 $574,165, were taken in Maine. 



The division of the United States Fish Commission concerned with statistics and 

 methods of fisheries took a complete census of the lobster fishery of New York, New 

 Jersey, and Delaware in 1892, 2 and in 1893 canvassed the lobster fishery of the New 

 England States. Through the courtesy of Dr. H. M. Smith, the assistant in charge of 

 the division, I am able to present in the following table the results of these inquiries. 



The total number of persons engaged in the lobster fishery of the United States 

 in 1892 was 3,766; of these, 2,628 were in Maine and 616 in Massachusetts. The 

 vessels employed in lobster fishing numbered 58, valued at nearly $75,000. The 

 number of boats used was 3,976, having a value of $325,000. Over 200,000 traps, 

 worth $221,000, were operated. The total investment in the fishery, including the 

 value of live cars ($25,835), was $648,065, distributed among the different States as 

 shown in the table. The quantity of lobsters taken and sold by United States 

 fishermen in 1892 was 23,724,525 pounds, for which $1,062,392 was received. Of this 

 output, 17,642,677 pounds, valued at $663,043. were caught in Maine and 3,182,270 

 pounds, worth $205,638, in Massachusetts. 



Table showing the 



exteiil 



of the lobster fisher}! of the United States 



in 1892. 





1 



States. 



Number 

 of fisher- 

 men em- 



Vessels, boats, and traps used. 



Lobsters taken. 



Vessels. 



Boats. Traps or pots. 



ployed. 



No. 



Value. 



No. 



Value. No. 



Value. 



Pounds. 



Value. 



Maine 



New Hampshire 



2,628 



26 



616 



7 



$7, 050 



2.888 



29 



739 



86 



183 



34 



16 



1 



$242. 629 



594 



47, 162 



15, 320 



17, 585 



1,140 



1,062 



40 



153. 043 



1,393 



26, 192 



6,341 



10, 105 



2. 240 



678 



21 



$143. 709 



2,786 



38, 479 



10,090 



22, 178 



3,469 



1,099 



53 



17, 642, 677 



196,350 



3, 182, 270 



774, 100 



1, 614, 530 



165, 093 



143, 905 



5,600 



$663, 043 



11, 790 



205, 638 



53, 762 



101, 358 



15, 655 



10, 861 



285 



2 



1.710 

 8,455 

 46, 265 

 9,880 

 1,475 



Rhode Island 



Connecticut 



145 1 12 



258 34 



55 2 





36 

 2 



1 





Total 







3,766 



58 



74, 835 



3,976 



325, 532 



200, 013 



221, 863 



23, 724, 525 



1, 062, 392 



Between 1887 and 1892 the decline in the lobster fishery of the United States was 

 over 5,000,000 pounds, although the value of the catch was more than $260,000 greater 

 in the latter year. When the yield and value of the fishery in the New England 

 States in 1892 are compared with the results of the fishery in 1889, we find a falling 



1 Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, vol. vi; also Report of the United States Fish 

 Commissioner for 1889. 



- See a Statistical Eeport on the Fisheries of the Middle Atlantic States, by Hugh M. Smith, m. d., 

 Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission for 1894, page 455. 



