NOTES ON AN INVESTIGATION OF THE MENHADEN FISHERY. 
289 
The catch of the steamer J. W. Hawkins during the year 1894 was 9,301,955 
menhaden. This was much less than in the previous season and far below the average 
of the past two or three years, and was smaller than that of other steamers fishing 
for the same firm. Prior to the arrival of the Commission’s agent the vessel took 
43.000 menhaden. 
The inquiries of the Commission thus related to and completely covered the fishing 
operations during which 27,905,755 menhaden were caught, this quantity representing 
about one- twentieth of the total yield of menhaden in 1894, and affording, with the other 
data obtained, a reasonable basis for generalizations on certain important points. 
The five weeks’ fishing of the Quickstep on the Long Island coast was quite 
successful. Pish were abundant and on some days large catches were taken. The 
average number of fish to a set was 43,000. Each of 9 hauls out of a total of GO 
resulted in the capture of between 100,000 ami 200,000 fish. On June 18 230,000 
menhaden were secured in 3 hauls off Shinnecock, Long Island, and on June 14 
220.000 fish were taken in 4 hauls off Bridgehampton and Amagausett, these being 
the largest daily catches. At a single haul off Sliinnecock (on June 19) 200,000 
fish were obtained. 
The principal feature of the operations of the Arizona was the extent of the fishing 
in Delaware Bay and off the adjacent coasts of Delaware and New Jersey. Of 558 
times the seines of the Arizona were set between June 22 and November 2, 212 sets 
were made in or off the mouth of Delaware Bay and 164 additional sets in the ocean 
immediately adjacent to Capes May and Henlopen. Menliaden were more abundant 
in the Delaware Bay region during August and September than in any previous 
season, so far as available records show, and the Arizona took more menhaden in a 
single month than during a similar period in any other year in her history. The 
August catch of the vessel was 6,434,500 fish, of which 2,744,000 were secured in 
Delaware Bay, and 3,156,500 off the adjacent ocean shores. In September 3,210,000 
fish were taken in this bay and 1,440,000 off the adjoining coasts. 
The average number of menhaden taken at each seine haul of the Arizona was 
30,850. While this was less than the average for the Quickstep , there were many days 
when the Arizona's total catch was double the largest daily yield of the other vessel. 
The single haul in which the largest number of menhaden were secured was on 
September 1, off Hereford Inlet, New Jersey, when 150,000 were taken. The following- 
days were noteworthy in the Arizona's fishing operations for the quantities of menhaden 
caught: July 9, 362,000 fish in 14 sets in New York Bay; July 16, 554,500 fish in 9 
sets off Squan Beach, New Jersey; July 19, 535,000 fish in 6 sets off the southern 
shore of New Jersey; July 23, 388,000 fish in 8 sets in New York Bay; August 6, 
525.000 fish in 15 sets off the southern coast of New Jersey; August 7, the same 
number in 11 sets on the same ground; August 29, 398,000 fish in 12 sets in and near 
Delaware Bay; August 30, 395,000 fish in 7 sets off Cape May; September 1, 475,000 
fish in 5 sets off' the southern part of New Jersey; September 12, 425,000 fish in 12 
sets in Delaware Bay and vicinity; September 17, 379,000 fish in 16 sets in Delaware 
Bay; September 20, 451,000 fish in 8 sets in the same place; October 27, 321,500 
fish in 9 sets off Montauk Point, New York. 
Of the 1,078 seine hauls of these vessels, 132 resulted in the capture of no 
menhaden, owing to various causes. Shyness of the fish, failure to drop the seine 
around the moving school in a way to intercept it, fouling of the seine by the tide, 
F. C. B. 1895-19 
