310 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



tance are flat-fish, flounders, mackerel, butter-fish, sea bass, alewives, 

 bonito, striped bass, and tautog. 



The gill-net, seine, and fyke-net fisheries have changed little since 

 1898, the most noticeable items being an increase in the catch of mack- 

 erel in gill nets at Block Island, an increase in the catch of mackerel 

 and squeteague by seines, and a decrease in the take of menhaden by the 

 same form of apparatus. 



The line fisheries show a small decrease in yield since 1898, amount- 

 ing to 1,972,116 pounds, worth $60,076 in that year, and 1,636,760 

 pounds, worth $52,870 in 1902. This decrease iias been principally in 

 the catch of cod, which in the former year amounted to 1,161,812 

 pounds, worth $31,907, and in the latter year was 606,450 pounds, 

 for which the fishermen received $17,497. The line catch of blue-fish, 

 mackerel, and sea bass also decreased, while that of haddock, flounders, 

 squeteague, and tautog increased. 



The yield of clams, quahogs, scallops, and oysters with dredges, tongs, 

 etc., aggregated 4,857,995 pounds, exclusive of shells, and was valued 

 at $681,230. Of this quantity, 3,264,511 pounds, valued at $495,123, 

 was taken by vessels and 1,593,484 pounds, valued at $186,107, by 

 boats in the shore fisheries. Since 1898 the value of the mollusk fish- 

 eries has increased $108,334. The greater part of this is in the yield 

 of oysters, which has increased 150,651 bushels in quantity and 

 $78,706 in value. 



The following tables show, by counties, species, and apparatus, the 

 quantity and value of products taken in the vessel and shore fisheries 

 of Rhode Island in 1902: 



Table showing by counties the yield of the seine fisheries of Rhode Island in 1902. 



