The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-07
LAHE
MBNHADED'S WEALTH.
Fish That While No Good
for Food Produces
81, 900, 900 per Annum.
HOW IT FIGURES IN THE TREASURY
supplies a Rich Marketable Oil
and Makes a Good
Fertilizer.
HOW IT FIGURES IN THE TREASURY

tHdt MuuStTy with aqQed interest lof
citizens of this commonwealth in view
of the fact that the organization in ques-
ton, bearing the title of the American
Fisheries Company, was Incorporated un-
der the laws of New Jersey. The act of
incorporation was effected a month or so
age, as was stated at the time in the
Newark Evening News" with a capitals
cation of So 0o,o 600.
Although the fishery is carried on III
every coast State of the country from
Maine to North Carolina, both inclusive,
there Is no State where so large a sum
has been IN the business as in New Jer-
sey, and zone where a greater number of
men are employed, not alone in the cap
ture of the fish. but also in it's treatment
for the extraction of a commercial oil,
and for the preparation Of fertilizing sub
stances.
While the annual catch of m%enhaden off
the coasts of the Atlantic States varies
considerably, the yearly product is re-
garded as a fairly reliable one. Some
years ago over 700. 900, 600 fish were handled
in one year. The fish are much fatter
some seasons thar others, and sim
liar numbers of them will yield
very different quantities of oil.
During the past three or four
years. between 400, 900, 900 and 500, 900, 900
menhaden lave been utilized each season,
the value of the fish in a crude state be-
ing from 81 to 81 per thousand, according
to their condition. The average value
of the manufactured products has been
over 81 ,000. 900 a year.
Concerning t-heimportance of the indus
try carried on by the American Fisheries
Company, a report that forms a part of
a recent bulletin issued by the United
States Fish Commission states tina "the
taking of menhaden for the purpose of
converting them into oil and guano is one
of the most prominent fisheries prose-
cuted with vessels on the Eastern coast
of the United States. Purse seines, oper-
ated from steam and sail vessels, are used
in taking the fish. In the more northern
States steamers predominate, while south
of New Jersey sail vessels are more MI
merous. The shore industry dependent on
the fishery is very important, affording
employment to many persons and repre-
senting large Investments,
AT the meeting of the United States
Menhaden Association held in New York
in January. 1895. the report of the secre-
tary showed from the statistics of the or
ganization that forty-four factories were
in operation during the season of 1894, en-
ploying LOSS men on shore and 1901 on yes
sells. The fishing feet consisted of twenty
| eight sailing vessels and hfty-six steam
ers. The total number of fish utilized was
5Ss. SCI. 900, which yielded /, ss9, sos gallons of
oil and 1859 tons of scrap.
Congress has passed many laws relat-
ing to menhaden fishing, and the subject
has also been frequently discussed by a
number of the State Legislatures and by
the courts. In recent years no fishery on
the Atlantic coast has attracted more at
tention or provoked more general interest.
Various bills were proposed in Congress
and the State Legislatures desisned to
| prevent the fishing operations within GER
tain distances from the shore. The three
mile limit was generally regarded as the
most suitable one within which no men
baden fishing should be permitted. 1t is
said, however, that the states were re-
strained. from assuming jurisdiction over
the proposed zone by reason of the con-
stitutional point involved in the question,
the open-sea fishing grounds, thus leaving
| practically no restrictions upon the in
dustry, beyond the limits embraced with
in bays. rivers and other State waters.
Statistics demonstrate that the largest
average hauls have been made within one
mile from shore. and the next largest be-
tween one and two miles. Between three
and five miles from shore the catches
have always proved considerably less
than elsewhere. From this it will be seen
that the m~ossbunkers, as the menhaden
usually found in close proximity to land.
both during the time of its ~sojoHrn on
the coasts Of the different States and dur
ing its spring and autumn miSrationS.
MeElfaden may be caught in any mouth
of the year except in midwinter. The
season begins toward the end of April
H. MoonffaY1noF 11nft1R DaNnr1hnr alfha.Irl
ON the coasts of the Northern States, few
fish are caught before May or later than
November. The height of the season may
he said to begin in August and end with
October. As the season advances the men
haden grow fattef. and are consequently
more valuable. Besides the improved
more easily caught late in the season,
when they are less shy and move in larger
schools than at other times.
Some idea of the enormous yield of the
valuable fish from the grounds off the
New Jersey coast may be had from a re-
view of the statistics on the subject pub
ports. These tables showed that the
Delaware Bay and the New Jersey coast
contributed more than two-thirds of the
entire yield of menhaden in a year. be-
sides an equally prominent part of all
other fish caught by the fishermen in their
m~enhaden %seines; In Delaware Bay com
tho menhaden fishermen, the average
catch being less than one fish to two
seine haulS. "A comparatively large nun-
Der of sharks were taken in the seines.
Representatives of the United States
Fishery Commission made their investiga-
lions of the fishing aboard the menhaden
steamer Arizona, and as the result an
nounced that of the Is. 706. 500 fish taken.
the fishing grounds off the New Jersey
coast contributed over six millions to the
total. the Delaware Bay being next with
S, 1886, 500. and. the New York grounds third
with 1898. 500. This. too, was in spite of
the fact that fifty-four more seine hauls
were made in Delaware Bay han in. the
New Jersey grounds.
The extensive areas covered by the
fleet of menhaden fishing vessels. the size
of the seines used, and the frequency
ally resulted in the capture of an en-
ormous variety OF fishes of all classes
Sixty different species were found swim
ming among or adjacent to the schools
of menhaden. Fish that. like the men
| haden. swim near the surface, were the
most numerous in the hauls, such as
! bluefish, alewives, shad. butter-fish and
ders and skates. which are caught in
comparatively shallow waters. the typi-
cal bottom fish, such as cod, pollock.
bake. haddock,s etc., were very Sparingly
represented in the hauls. All but 902 of
| the other fish caught in the menhaden
seines were of recognized val1e as food
fish.
wives were taken than all other fishes
combined. Over $4,000 were caught in the
| seines, nearly all being taken off the New
England coast by one vessel. About half
were obtained at one haul in Boston
| Harbor. These fish were usually found
among schools of m~enhaden, although,
IN some instances. the alewives greatly
4-..--La~n7 4ina r,nuha7pn m anppar rcd