62 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



carrying eggs is prohibited. Not only are the fry and 

 larvae artificially hatched and liberated, but the young 

 lobsters are protected through the fourth or fifth 

 larvae stages, in order to insure them against the many 

 dangers they encounter during the earlier period of 

 their existence. 



Since the lobster-canning business in the United 

 States has ceased, the importation of lobsters has 

 greatly increased. The following tabular statement 

 shows the importation of lobsters, canned and un- 

 canned, for 1890, 1900, and 1908, for the fiscal years 

 ending June 30 : 



The entire catch was made in pots or traps. The 

 lobsters are taken from the traps and put into floating 

 cages called cars, where they are kept until enough are 

 gathered to warrant shipment. They are marketed 

 either alive or boiled. On account of the higher price 

 received for the former the dealers often keep them 

 until sold in "live-cars," which are similar to those 

 used by the fishermen but much larger. Dealers often 

 build large pounds sometimes covering a number of 

 acres, where lobsters are fed until a satisfactory price 

 may be obtained. 



Lobster, spiny. — Closely allied to the American lob- 

 ster is the spiny or rock lobster, often called craw- 

 fish or crayfish, found on the coast of California from 

 Monterey to San Diego, and also along the Gulf coast 

 of Florida. Its flesh is coarser and less tender than 

 that of the eastern lobster, but its characteristics and 

 habits are similar. The spiny lobster is more active, 

 however, swimming more rapidly through the water 

 and more often escaping from the ordinary lobster pots. 



The total catch in the United States in 1908 was 

 626,000 pounds, valued at $71,000, which was a little 

 more than half the quantity caught in 1902-1904, but 

 about equal to the normal catch for the past ten years. 

 This fishery has reached much larger proportions in 

 California than in Florida. In 1908, 573,000 pounds, 

 valued at $69,000, were caught in California and only 

 53,000 pounds, valued at $2,600, in Florida. The 

 statistics of the catch of California and of Florida for 



those years for which returns are available are given 

 in the following tabular statement: 



In California the spiny-lobster product increased 

 steadily from 1880 to 1899. In 1904 there was an 

 abnormal catch, but in 1908 the total catch, while 

 greater than that in 1895, was slightly less than the 

 catch in 1899. 



The entire catch in the state of California in 1908 

 was made with traps. Formerly set nets were used 

 extensively, especially by the Japanese fishermen, but 

 with great damage to the industry, for if small lobsters 

 under legal size were caught in these nets, it was almost 

 impossible to remove them without seriously maiming 

 or crippling them. As early as 1894 the several coun- 

 ties in California where these lobsters were caught 

 had made local provisions prohibiting the sale or 

 catching of lobsters from May 15 to July 15, and fixing 

 1 pound as the minimum weight. They are now pro- 

 tected by state laws establishing a closed season from 

 February 15 to September 15 and limiting the size to 

 be caught. 



The California spiny lobster is canned as well as 

 sold fresh. 



Mackerel {Scomber scombrus). — The mackerel is 

 found in the north Atlantic south as far as Cape Hat- 

 teras. It ranges from 9 to 18 inches in length and 

 from one-half pound to 3 pounds in weight, and is 

 caught in purse seines, pound nets, weirs, gill nets, 

 etc., and with hook and line. Small mackerel are 

 known as "spikes" when from 5 to 6 inches in length, 

 as "blinkers" when from 7 to 8 inches in length, and 

 as "tinkers" when 9 inches in length. 



The catch in 1908 amounted to 12,103,000 pounds, 

 valued at $848,000. Four-fifths of this quantity was 

 marketed fresh and the remaining one-fifth was salted. 

 All of the salted mackerel, except a small amount 

 reported from Maine, was taken by the vessel fisheries 

 of Massachusetts. The following tabular statement 

 gives the statistics of the catch, by states: 



