New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-29
FISHERIES OF THIS STATE
Product of Valae of Millions of
DoLlars-Many Varieties Caught.

n
collected by the Bureau OF Fisheries. Department
OF Commerce and Labor. the coastal fisheries OF
the State. including the Hudson River. amounted
TO Is go 50 pounds. which netted the fishermen
Sc. ses.2z0. These figures Ear value and guam
tity concerned. were cNcelled By only one
state I'm the observation-disclosures both Maine
AID New-Jersey led "a value Of catch. but were
considera bly, behind in quantity taken. However,
the commercial fisheries Of the State are not con-
nned 10 coastal waters as she carries on III
portant fisheries in Lakes Erie ard Ontario, ana
minor fisheries in the St. Lawrence, Niagara
Seneca and Oneida rivers. and the numerous iafAeS
scattered throughout the State. notably Chalniall'
George. Oneida. Seneca. Cayuga- heuka- SNal'-
oateles. Canan6aigua. Chaatauaua, NH Site Cone
sus and Otsego. The fisheries OF Lake Ontario
that portion Of Lake Erie within the oo1noaiieS
OF the state and OF the St Lawrence and Niagara
rivers amount each year % approximately 49,
ooa oo,,n6s with 2 value 10 the fishermen OF about
$4,000. while the fisheries OF the interior I~hes
and rivers amounted last year TO about oV'.'VV
pounds. which sold for about seSeO. Inc hulnoe-
OF persons engaged directly and indirectly IN the
fisheries amounted last year to about l4V0- IN
sbe above data no account is made OF the enoI-
nous amour, OF fishing done by sportsmen winch
alone brings millions OF dollars into the State
most wonderful variety OF fishery pTooucts
IS gathered by the fishermen OF this state. Oh
the seacoast side htty-four different species OF
fish and other water denizens are secured WINE
on the Great Lakes twenty-five arc taken, ana on
the interior lakes and rivers. fifteen species Inc
ovs.e--s. snenhaden blueash shad. squeteague or
weakfish. hard CLANS or quahogs. soft Clans
scallops and n.ackerel on the Great Lakes the
principal species are lake herring pike, perch
(Which includes the wali-eyed pike blue pike ana
sauger. whitefish. catfish and bullheads sturgeon
and yellow perch. while the interior lakes and
rivers the principal species are muskallonge bull
heads black bass, lake trout smells, whitensh
OSnoNn locauy as frosthsh). and frogs As a
result OF this great variety but few OF the fishery
r,ro5tcts found in waters north OF the Mason and
Dixon line are absent from the waters OF the
State.
In some branches Of the fisheries New-York leads
al the other States notably in the bluehsh' white
bait and scanop fisheries.
OF the total value of the coastal fisheries OF New
York oysters represent about one-hah. notable
feature o. this industry is that ii is now almost
wholly dependent on the growing OF oysters On
private areas, which few years ago were entirely
l,arren and unproductve. At the present time only
about per cent Of the total product is obtained
from the natural reefs and OF these are used
as seed for the planted grounds. One Of the most
Interesting OF the recent developments Of the oys
ter industry Is the extensive planting Of seed oys
ters st the eastern end Of Long Island. especially
ia the vicinity OF Greenport and Southold. This
began ten years ago, and at present about three
hundred and fifty thousand bushels are planted an
nuauv. the seed being obtained from Long Island
Sound While these oysters grow rapidly here.
they do not fatten readily, so they are usually
taken up within a year and again planted in Great
South Bay and elsewhere.
A comparatively new industry in this State is
the cultivation Of hard CLAIMS, quahogs. Within
the last three CT four years many thousands Of
small clans have been bedded private areas
on the south side Of Long Island. Each year
an increasing scarcity OF clans the public
areas. amounting in some years TO clam fam
Inc and at the high prices which have ruled the
last few years there is doubt that the cultiva-
tion Of this molrsk will be greatly extended, and,
possibly. in time may even rival oyster culture.
The bluefsh fishery is the most important carried
: on from the city Of New-1ork. being prosecuted
mainly by vessels sailing from Fulton Market. It
IS now prosecuted the greater part Of the year. the
feet leaving in March and going as FAR South as
Cape Fear y. c. 70 meet the fish their
northward migration. and they are then kept busy
until late in November.
The greater part Of the nenhaden business OF
the American Fisheries Company is transacted
this State and as some OF the best factories are
located here they give employment to large force
OF nen. both the steamers catching the fish and
. IN the factories shore.
The shad fishery OF the Hudson River in 1901
showed most remarkable increase over previous
seasons and the greater part Of this was retained
curing the seasons OF 1902 and 1868. The sturgeon
fishery. however. shows bad falling of. This con-
clifton however prevails all along the Atlantic
Coast ard II is probably only question Of a
short time when sturgeon viii cease TO exist
commercial product.
one Of the most noteworthy changes in the FISH
cries is the extensive adoption Of auxiliary power
Casually gasolene or naphtha) in the vessels and
boats which makes the work 10 a large extent in
dependent Of weather conditions. This change is
especially noticeable in the oyster and pound net
fisheries.
The fisheries Of Lake Ontario and the St La
renee and Niagara rivers show practically no
changes Of importance within recent years on
duce the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), which
tarie. Manv plants Of the kiantic salmon. also Of
the Quinnat salmon from the Pacific Coast. have
lake but principally in Salmon River since 1897
IN 1889 a number were seen leaping in this river.
S,ncs They have also been reported from SANDY
On the Niagara River a peculiar form OF ap
paratus is in use framework OF tmbers similar
twenty thirty feet and is heavily weighted with
ne swift current IN the centre OF THIS structure IS
well Enclosed on all sides except the one facing
shout eight inches in height and a bottom Of fine
n1esheo iron screen IS lowered into the wei into
which & fits by means % wndlass As the well
Is open the side facing down The river, hsh
Tf 50 6" s 70 me the e8ff on TTs g T rbe P 6
enter il When the flsh are running vel the box is
platform nc water escaping through the screen as
and kind are then removed from the box while the
others are allowed 10 escape when il is lowered
middle Of Nav until the ice forms in the fail. The
principal species taken n them are sturgeon. white
permitted only SO long Canada allows her fisher
As only two counties Of Nev,-York abut upon
lake Ere. her fisheries that lake necessarily
Fomewhat limited ! mere has been = considera bic
Increase. especially OF whiteGsh. in the last few
Years. however. with promise OF even better in
TIE future. The principal FISHING is done by means
q steam tugs. using gill nets which have their
Headquarters at DunkiTk ard BCffalo At Buffalo
ce fishing is carried each winter
There is no very noticeable feature in connection
with the fisheries 81 The Interior lakes and rivers
es the state authorities keep close watch upon
hem and usually permit the isherrnen TO take onlz,
the scour2Oner varieties. In aiu Site Like IN
JEFFERSON County the fishermen are permitted -
take lake herring with Kin nets. while in Seneca
Lake the same form OF apparatus permitted for
lake trout In Cayuga Lake fyke nets arc need 81