12 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 
being shipped to England. 1 About 3,000,000 lobsters are said to be taken in the 
British Isles in a year, while the total number captured on the North Atlantic coast 
of America has undoubtedly in some years reached close to 100,000,000. 
The total quantity of lobsters taken in the United States in 1880 was 20,238,683 
pounds, valued at $188,432; of this quantity, 19,946,733 pounds, worth $477,484, were 
taken in the New England States, and 291,950 pounds, valued at $10,948, in the 
Middle Atlantic States. In 1887 the United States lobster catch was 28,882,180 
pounds, with a market value of $799,717, of which 28,627,600 pounds, worth $784,238, 
were caught in New England and 254,580 pounds, valued at $15,479, in the Middle 
Atlantic region. The output of the New England lobster fishery in 1889 was 
30,449,603 pounds, valued at $833,736; of this catch, 25,001,351 pounds, worth 
$574,165, were taken in Maine. 
The division of the United States Fish Commission concerned with statistics and 
methods of fisheries took a complete census of the lobster fishery of New York, New 
Jersey, and Delaware in 1892, 2 and in 1893 canvassed the lobster fishery of the New 
England States. Through the courtesy of Dr. H. M. Smith, the assistant in charge of 
the division, I am able to present in the following table the results of these inquiries. 
The total number of persons engaged in the lobster fishery of the United States 
in 1892 was 3,766; of these, 2,628 were in Maine and 616 in Massachusetts. The 
vessels employed in lobster fishing numbered 58, valued at nearly $75,000. The 
number of boats used was 3,976, having a value of $325,000. Over 200,000 traps, 
worth $221,000, were operated. The total investment in the fishery, including the 
value of live cars ($25,835), was $648,065, distributed among the different States as 
shown in the table. The quantity of lobsters taken and sold by United States 
fishermen in 1892 was 23,724,525 pounds, for which $1,062,392 was received. Of this 
output, 17,642,677 pounds, valued at $663,043. were caught in Maine and 3,182,270 
pounds, worth $205,638, in Massachusetts. 
' Table showing the extent of the lobster fishery of the United States in 189%. 
States. 
Number 
Vessels, boats, and traps used. 
Lobsters taken. 
of ti slier - 
men em- 
ployed. 
Vessels. 
Boats. 
Traps or pots. 
No. 
Value. 
No. 
Value. 
No. 
Value. 
Pounds. 
Value. 
Maine 
2, 628 
7 
$7, 050 
2. 888 
$242, 629 
153, 043 
.$143, 709 
17, 642, 677 
$663, 043 
New Hampshire 
26 
29 
594 
1,393 
2, 786 
196, 350 
11, 790 
Massachusetts 
616 
2 
1, 710 
739 
47, 162 
20, 192 
38, 479 
3, 182, 270 
205, 638 
Rhode Island 
145 
12 
8, 455 
86 
15, 320 
6, 341 
10, 090 
774, 100 
53, 762 
Connecticut 
258 
34 
46. 265 
183 
17, 585 
10, 105 
22, 178 
1, 614, 530 
101, 358 
New York 
55 
2 
9,880 
34 
1, 140 
2, 240 
3, 469 
165, 093 
15, 655 
New Jersey 
36 
1 
1,475 
16 
1, 062 
678 
1, 099 
143, 905 
10, 861 
Delaware 
2 
1 
40 
21 
53 
5, 600 
285 
Total 
3, 766 
58 
74, 835 
3,976 
325, 532 
200, 013 
22.1,863 
23, 724, 525 
1, 062, 392 
Between 1887 and 1892 the decline in the lobster fishery of the United States was 
over 5,000,000 pounds, although the value of the catch was more than $260,000 greater 
in the latter year. When the yield and value of the fishery in the New England 
States in 1892 are compared with the results of the fishery in 1889, we find a falling 
1 Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, vol. vi; also Report of the United States Fish 
Commissioner for 1889. 
2 See a Statistical Report on the Fisheries of the Middle Atlantic States, by Hugh M. Smith, m. d., 
Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission for 1894, page 455. 
