22 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
decline shown for those species for which the catch has diminished quite certainly 
is not as pronounced as indicated. On the other hand, in those species where an 
upward trend is shown, regardless of the discontinuance of the use of the seine, the 
increase very probably is greater than shown. 
In summing up the statistics it may be concluded that an unmistakable and 
definite decline has taken place for the shad and herrings for the period covered. 
The decline, based on the average yearly catch for the first and second halves of 
the period covered by the statistics is 39.4 per cent for the shad and 60.2 per cent 
for the herrings. A very pronounced decline in the catch of shad took place in 1914 
and 1915. After that time a partial recovery is shown, as averages (arrived at as 
Fig. 14. — Graphic representation of the number of pounds of 
bluefish ( Pomatomus saltatrix) taken from 1908 to 1922 at 
the Buchanan Bros, fishery, arranged by years. The 
straight, heavy line shows the general trend in the quan- 
tities caught 
Fig. 15.— Graphic representation of the number of pounds of 
sheepshead ( Archosargus probatocephalus) taken at the 
Buchanan Bros, fishery from 1908 to 1922, arranged by 
years. During those years for which no catch is listed, a 
few, no doubt, were taken; but the daily catch consisted 
of less than 10 pounds and no separate record was made. 
The straight, heavy line shows the general trend in the 
quantities caught 
before) for 1914 to 1923 show an increase of 12.6 per cent. The first two years 
(1908 and 1909) for which data are available for the herrings appear to have been 
banner years and a large decline took place in 1910. The lowest mark, however, 
resulted in 1916. Excluding from consideration the large catches for 1908 and 
1909, general averages show a decline of 34.5 per cent for the period 1910 to 1922, 
as compared with 60.2 per cent for the entire period. The species was rather 
stationary from 1915 to 1922, as only a slight increase is shown. It is at least some- 
what encouraging that the shad has shown an upward trend and the herrings no 
further downward trend during recent years (that is, since 1915), as shown by the 
records of the fishery under discussion supported by the bureau’s statistics for 
Maryland and Virginia for 1915, 1920, and 1921. 
