THE MENHADEN FISHERY. 331 
2. FISHING GROUNDS. 
The menhaden fishery is earried on chiefly by fishermen of New England, New York, and New 
Jersey, along the coast, and by the fishermen of Virginia and a few from Maryland, in the waters 
of Chesapeake Bay. Prior to the year 1879, when menhaden suddenly disappeared from the region 
north of Cape Cod, the Gulf of Maine was one of the principal fishing grounds, and was resorted 
to by a very large fleet of sail and steam vessels. Since 1879 the cruising grounds have been 
south of Cape Cod, one of the best places being along the Long Island shore from Montauk Point 
westward. Other important fishing grounds are in the waters of Long Island Sound, along the 
New Jersey coast, and in Chesapeake Bay. 
As soon as the fish make their appearance in spring, vessels start in pursuit of them and con- 
tinue their capture until their disappearance in the autumn. From the menhaden oil and guano 
factories along the Southern New England, New York, and New Jersey shores the fleets of steam 
and sail vessels begin their cruises early in May, pursuing the fish along the shores and in the 
sounds wherever they can be found. 
The regular fishing grounds at present extend from Chesapeake Bay to and including Long 
Island Sound, and in some seasons extending into Vineyard Sound, on the southern coast of New Eng- 
land. The vessels seldom cruise more than 10 or 15 miles from land. The total area of the grounds 
is estimated at 5,350 square geographical miles, divided as follows: Long Island Sound and the 
vicinity of Block Island, 1,200 square miles; off the soifth side of Long Island, from Montauk 
Point to Sandy Hook, with an average width of 15 miles, 1,575 square miles ; off New Jersey, from 
Sandy Hook to Cape May, 1,575 square miles; Delaware Bay, 150 square miles; Cape Henelopen 
to Cape Charles, with an average width of 2 miles, 250 miles; Chesapeake Bay, from the Capes to 
Tangier Sound, 600 square miles. . 
The absence of menhaden north of Cape Cod during the last few years has caused a great loss 
to the capitalists interested in the numerous oil factories on the Maine coast and much distress 
among the men whe depended on this fishery. Mr. R. BE. Earll thus describes the effects of this 
scarcity in 1879: 
“The total absence of pogies along the coast of Maine is causing no little loss to all interested. 
The shore fishermen have lost fully half of their time and over half of their usual catch from not 
being able to get any pogies to fish with, while the ‘George’s-men,’ from Cape Ann, have been 
driven far out of their way, going even to Rhode Island and Connecticut to obtain their usual sup- 
ply of pogy bait. Some have ventured to seek bait here, in the ‘hedges’ and traps of the river 
fishermen, and have frequently taken river pilots and gone far up the Kennebec, often waiting 
fully a week before getting their supply. The oil and guano factories had gone to considerable 
expense in getting ready for the season’s work, and their property is entirely idle. The factory 
hands and steamers’ crews have been thrown entirely out of employment, and are perhaps less 
able than any of the other classes interested to bear such a loss, The general prosperity of the 
pogy fisheries, for some years past, has drawn to them a large class of workmen from other occu- 
pations. Some, in moving into this region, have built for themselves small houses and have been 
depending on the summer’s work for the means to pay for them oreo complete them; others have 
spent their entire means in getting their families located, and almost none have money laid up to 
carry them through the winter, and but little employment can be had from this time forward. 
They were all on hand to begin work the first of June, and kept waiting, in hopes that the fish 
would ‘strike,’ until late in August. When they at last gave up the idea, it was too late to en- 
gage in any other occupation. A few of them have gone out in small boats to ‘hook’ for 
