FISHERIES OF THE GULF STATES. 
155 
V.— FISHERIES OF LOUISIANA. 
Geographical note . — The coast line of Louisiana, including the indentations, lias a 
length of 1,650 miles; it is much more irregular than that of any other State in this 
region. Beginning in the east, the principal indentations are Lakes Pontchartrain 
and Borgne, Ohandeleur Sound, Isle au Breton Sound, Barataria Bay, Timbalier 
Bay, Terrebonne Bay, Atchafalaya Bay, Grand Lake, Bay St. Bernard, Cote Blanche 
Bay, Vermillion Bay, Calcasieu Lake, aud Sabine Lake; all of these are more or less 
important as fishing-grounds. The coastal region is also well supplied with rivers, and 
an almost infinite number of large and small islands occur, the most numerous and 
important group being the Chandeleur Islands, oft’ the eastern end of the State, 
which, in addition to others, have a bearing on the fisheries. 
New Orleans is the great fishing port of the State, as it is of the entire Gulf 
region. The quantity of fish, oysters, etc., entering the city is large and it makes 
this place rank among the prominent receiving centers for fishery products in the 
country. The only other fishing settlement of note is Morgan City, at the outlet of 
Grand Lake. 
The statistics herein presented cover the fisheries of the entire coast region, and, 
in addition, the lakes and bays already named and the Mississippi River from its 
mouth to New Orleans. 
General character of the fisheries . — Louisiana ranks second among the Gulf States 
in the value of its fisheries. It is surpassed by Florida by a considerable amount, and 
in turn is far in advance of all the other States. There are many products in the cap- 
ture of which this State leads all others, among which are oysters, crabs, shrimp, cray- 
fish, black bass, buffalo-fish, and catfish. The specially prominent products are oysters, 
shrimp, catfish, trout, sheepsliead, and buffalo-fish, the value of the first named being 
nearly one-half that of the entire fishery output of the State. In the value of trout, 
sheepsliead, and channel bass Louisiana ranks next to Texas, and in the catch of red 
snappers, Spanish mackerel, and alligators it is surpassed only by Florida. 
The advance in the extent and importance of the fisheries since 1880 has been 
marked in all branches. The percentage of increase in the items of persons and capi- 
tal has been greater than in any other State except Mississippi; the actual increase 
in the number of persons has been larger than elsewhere, and only Florida has ex- 
celled in the numerical increase in capital invested and value of products. 
As in the case of the other States of this region, Louisiana has important unde- 
veloped fishery resources, among which the oyster is chief. The large increase in the 
yield of this mollusk is shown elsewhere in this paper; and there will probably be an 
annual augmentation of the output as the result of increased demand and attention. 
General statistics . — The number of persons engaged in the fishing industry of this 
State in 1890 was 4,068, of whom 332 were employed in the vessel fisheries, 3,276 in 
the shore or boat fisheries, and 460 in connection with the shore branches. A larger 
number of foreigners is found in the fisheries of Louisiana than in any other of the 
Gulf States. In the vessel fisheries tliere-are 95 aliens, in the shore fisheries 1,006, and 
in the shore industries 198, giving a total of 1,299, or 32 per cent of the entire coast 
