FYKE NETS AND FYKE-NET FISHERIES. 
315 
THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 
The fyke-net fishery of the New England States is not of great importance and 
is completely overshadowed by many other fisheries. Nets are found in all the States 
except New Hampshire, are most numerous in Connecticut, and least so in Massachu- 
setts, and the fishery increases in value from north to south. The nets are inexpensive, 
having an average value of less than $6; they are cheapest in Maine and have the 
highest value in Rhode Island. Only a few kinds of fish are caught, and only flounders 
are taken in any considerable quantities and in every State; the other fish obtained 
are frostfish, butter-fish, tautog, cunners, menhaden, scup, striped bass, and smelt. 
The following condensed table shows the condition of the fyke-net fisheries of the 
New England States. More detailed figures for the products will appear in the dis- 
cussion for each State. 
Summary of the fyke-net fishery of the New England States. 
States. 
No. of 
fisher- 
men. 
Fyke nets. 
Boats. 
Products. 
No. 
V alue. 
No. 
Value. 
Pounds. 
Value. 
Maine 
44 
134 
$550 
42 
$1, 810 
liirooo 
$1, 380 
Massachusetts 
G 
15 
100 
6 
200 
44, 655 
1,400 
Rhode Island.... 
43 
376 
2, 680 
21 
595 
114, 2o0 
3,0*5 
Connecticut 
52 
440 
2, 230. 
51 
1,530 
455, 250 
8, 759 
Total 
145 
965 
5, 560 
120 
4, 135 
725, 155 
14, 584 
MAINE. 
The fyke net is not very popular in this State, and the fishery with this apparatus 
is almost lost sight of in comparison with other very extensive river fisheries. It is 
probable that fyke nets in addition to those shown in the tables are used in the inte- 
rior or more remote coastal sections; inquiries carried on by the Fish Commission, 
however, covered all fyke-net fishing of importance in the coast rivers. 
The employment of fyke nets as an economic pursuit is to be noted in only three 
coastal counties, namely Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Cumberland, the last-named hav- 
ing the most important interests; of the 134 nets used in 1889, 101 were credited to 
this county, although fewer men and boats are employed than in Lincoln County, 
owing to differences in methods. Three species comprise all the marketable fishtak 311 ; 
these are flounders, frostfish or tomcod, and smelt. The flounders are by far the 
most important, as shown in the following table. The aggregate catch in Cumberland 
County is much larger than in the two other counties combined, amounting to 82,000 
pounds, valued at $1,050 and comprising practically only flounders, while in Lincoln 
County the yield was 25,000 pounds of flounders, valued at $230, and in Sagadahoc 
the output consisted of 4,000 pounds of frostfish and smelt, with a value of $100. 
Products of the fyke-net fishery of Maine. 
Species. 
Pounds. 
Value. 
Flounders 
Frostfish 
107, 000 
2,500 
1, 500 
$1, 280 
10 
90 
Smelt 
Total 
111, 000 
1,380 | 
