CRAB FISHEKIKS OF LONG ISLAND 



BY FREDERICK C. PAULMIEB 



During the summers of 1901 and 1902 the writer spent some 

 time in investigating the crab fisheries of the Long Island coast, 

 and a preliminary report was published in the report for 1901. 



During 1902 the time which could be allotted to this study 

 was but short, and the present report is merely on the state of 

 the fisheries and on the methods of taking crabs employed on 

 Long Island. 



The past season was not a very successful one. This was due 

 to the scarcity of crabs, and only about one third of the usual 

 number of hard crabs were shipped to market. Soft crabs were 

 so scarce that not enough was taken to supply the local demand. 

 The reason assigned for this by the fishermen was the coolness of 

 the summer, other conditions being apparently the same. There 

 is nothing to warrant the fear that the scarcity is due to over- 

 fishing; for similar off years have occurred before and been fol- 

 lowed by a more abundant supply the next year. It was noticed 

 that, while the number of crabs was smaller than usual, they 

 appeared to average larger in size. 



Crab fisheries 



Crabs are, of course, taken all over the island by boys and by 

 the summer boarders, by whom it is regarded as one of the amuse- 

 ments of the summer. 



The method used by these is to entice the crab within reach 

 by means of a fish head or other bait and then catch it in a long- 

 handled crab net. This method results in the capture of only a 

 small number of crabs, but yields plenty of amusement. 



For the market, however, the fisheries are confined mostly to 

 the eastern end of Moriches bay, Center Moriches and Brook- 

 haven being the principal places for shipping. 



The following is the method of procedure. A manila rope 

 several hundred feet long is taken, and on this, at intervals of 

 from two to three feet, lines about 18 inches long are fastened, 



rl31 



