A GOVERNMENT SPAWN-GATHERER AT WORK ON A GLOUCESTER FISHING SMACK 



While most of the spawn used in government cod propagation comes from fish kept for 

 breeding purposes, this has to be supplemented by that gathered from fish caught by the 

 commercial fishermen. 



should be a staple food, has for years 

 been a luxury, and every season the price 

 to the retail consumer becomes more pro- 

 hibitive. 



The reasons for the diminishing sup- 

 ply are well known and. may be summed 

 up in a few words : disregard for the 

 future, neglect of natural laws, and in- 

 discriminate fishing. The situation de- 

 mands radical action on the part of the 

 States, and the welfare of the general 

 public must be placed ahead of the tem- 

 porary gain of fishermen. 



The mollusks which figure most promi- 

 nently in the fisheries and enter most 

 largely into our dietary are the hard-shell 

 clam, or quahog, known as the "little 

 neck" when young; the soft-shell clam, 

 or manmose, extensively used as bait in 

 the Xew England line fisheries, in addi- 

 tion to being a highly prized food ; the 



small and the giant scallops ; the sea-mus- 

 sel ; the abalone, peculiar to the Pacific 

 coast and more valuable for its brilliantly 

 colored nacre than as an article of diet 

 for occidentals ; the squids, eaten by 

 Asiatics and by the people of southern 

 Europe, but used mostly for bait in line 

 fishing, and, most important of all, the 

 oysters of the eastern and western sea- 

 boards. 



Throughout a vast area in the interior 

 of the country there occur numerous spe- 

 cies of mussels, or fresh-water clams, 

 which have no utility as food, but because 

 of their pearly nacre are in great demand 

 for their shells. A very extensive indus- 

 try, of comparatively recent origin, in the 

 United States, is based on the utilization 

 of these shells for making buttons (see 

 p. 563). These same mussels produce the 

 only valuable pearls found in our waters. 



553 



