NOTES ON AN INVESTIGATION OF THE MENHADEN FISHERY. 
287 
Before the beginning of the fishing season, correspondence was opened with 
several prominent owners of vessels and operators of factories, explaining the object 
of the investigation and asking permission to place an agent on one of their vessels. 
It was finally decided to take advantage of the offers of Messrs. Luce Brothers, of 
Niantic, Connecticut, and Mr. A. J. Morse, manager of the American Fish Guano 
Company, of Harborton, Virginia, the Commission meeting all expenses connected 
with the work. 
The steamer Quickstep , hailing from New London, Connecticut, was the vessel 
offered for this purpose by Messrs. Luce Brothers. To this vessel, on May 1G, 1894, the 
Commission assigned as its agent Mr. Clarence E. Latimer, a former employee of the 
office, recently connected with the fisheries division of the Eleventh Census. At 
the end of two weeks, illness necessitated Mr. Latimer’s withdrawal from the work, 
and his place was supplied by Mr. W. P. Hay, teacher in zoology in the Washington 
City High School. On June 22, owing to insufficient accommodations on the Quickstep , 
Mr. Hay was transferred to the steamer Arizona , of New London, which vessel was 
the basis for observations during the remainder of the season. On August 1, Mr. 
Hay was relieved by Mr. Andrew E. Marschalk, who continued on the vessel until 
the suspension of fishing, on November 7. 
The Arizona is a screw steamer of 103 net tons, valued, with its outfit, at $25,000. 
The vessel’s crew consists of 2 captains, 2 mates, 1 pilot, 1 engineer, 2 firemen, 2 
cooks, and 30 fishermen. Two purse seines are used, the vessel being what is known 
as a “double-gang” steamer; only one other such steamer was employed in 1894. 
The seines are about 11,000 meshes (1,400 feet) long and 715 meshes (100 feet) deep, 
the sizes of mesh being 2£ and 2J inches, stretch measure; the cost of each seine 
rigged is about $900. Four seine boats and two “drive” or “striker” boats are 
carried. 
On May 7, Mr. E. F. Locke, field agent of the Commission, began his observations 
on the steamer J. IF. Hawkins , of Onancock, Virginia, and continued with the vessel 
until December 3, being relieved during the month of October by Mr. Edward E. 
Race, field agent. 
The J. W. Hawkins is a screw steamer of 125 net tons, with a value of over 
$20,000, including outfit. It carries 1 captain, 1 mate, 2 engineers, 2 firemen, 2 cooks, 
and IS fishermen. Two seines are carried, but only one is in use at a time; it 
was 9,520 meshes (900 feet) long and 750 meshes (85 feet) deep; its valne was about 
$700. During a part of the season the vessel had a larger seine, 1,500 feet long and 
150 feet deep. 
The instructions issued to the agents called for the exercise of great care in 
obtaining and recording correct data. For each haul of the seine it was required 
that a record be made showing the following information: Date, hour, location of 
fishing-ground, quantity of menhaden taken, the number of each kind of other fish 
taken, the disposition made of fish other than menhaden, and physical observations 
on the condition of water, direction of wind, etc. On charts the position of each 
seine haul was indicated in such a way that reference might be made to the record 
for a history of the haul. General notes on the condition of the fishery, the abundance, 
size, movements, and spawning condition of the fish were desired. The agents were 
cautioned to avoid the expression of any opinion as to results of the investigation 
and to refrain from a discussion of the general menhaden question. 
