The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-03-24
MARYLAND FISHERIES
State Ranked Fifth In The United
States hccotdlnD to Census
Bureau Report.


Fisheries Industry Of the United States,
for 1908. prepared BY Mr.. William M.
Stewart, chief statistician for nanufac-
lures, il appears that in respect to fish
cries, Maryland stands high among the
states, ranking fifth in 1908, with a pro-
duct valued at S., got, 900. Likewise the
fisheries rank high among the industries
| of the state. Chesapeake Bay and its
tributary streams, the Potomac, Susque.
hanna, Patnxent. Choptank, Nanticoke
and lesser rivers form the greatest oyster
area in the world. In 1908 the value Of
the oyster product constituted two-thirds
of the total value Of the fishery product
of the state.
The fishing grounds Of Maryland are
naturally divided into two districts com.
prising those OF the Atlantic Ocean and
those of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributary waters. AS the water front of
the state on Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries in much more extensive than
the Atlantic water front, the Chesapeake
Bay fisheries are much more important
than those of Atlantic Ocean, which in
1908 contributed only 4 per cent. Of the
total value of fishery products for the
state. A general summary shows that ii
/ 1908 the number of persons employed
was Is, 3o2; the capital invested in vessels
and boats. including outfit, $I,744. ooo,s
in apparatus of capture. 5000, 600. and in
shore and accessory property and cash.
$86, 900. The value of products was
IS, goo, 900.
Wage.earners outnunibered proprietors
and independent fishermen by only a
small percentage. The o,o48 salaried
employees and wage earners were paid in
cash and provisions ST ,o36. 900 an amount
equal to 81 per cent of the value Of the
fishery products.
Oysters ranked first both in quantity
and in value. On basis of quantity the
species next in order were alewives, or
river herring, with product of nearly
9.ooo, 900 pounds; crabs. with over 2o,-
ooo,oo pounds; menhadeu, with over
II, ooo, 900 pounds; and shad, with nearly
1000. 900 pounds. On the basis Of value
the leading species after oysters were
crabs, shad and alewives, in the order
named. The heavy catch OF meuhaden
stood relatively low in value. and was
exceeded in this respect BY striped bass,
lsqueteagne and muskrat skins.
For the Chesapeake Bay district the
leading products, in the order of value
were oysters, crabs, ssad and alewives;
while for the Atlantic ocean fisheries, all
| of which were of the shore and boat class,
the leading products with respect to value
were squeteague, oysters. sturgeon IN
Guiding caviar. and yellow perch in the
order named.
The products of the shore and boat
fisheries Of the Chesapeake Bay district,
in the aggregate amounted to S3,4a7, 900
pounds, having value Of So, 42o, 900.
All but S per cent. of the total values
lof products were taken with dredges and
|tongs, pound and trap nets. gill nets,
lseines and lines.
The oyster product of Maryland 1908
was substantially greater than that for
+ 1904, but less than that for 1867. The
| yield for Io04was abnormally small, a fact
attributed by some authorities to the two
Exceptionally cold winters just proceed
ing which killed many of the oysters.
The value of the product. however
steadily decreased from s., 1856. ooo in
1897 to $2,4I8. 900 in 1904 and s., 2aS, 900
in 1908. This decrease Of 1857, 900. or 81
per cent. in the value'of the oyster pro-
duct during the eleven years from 1867
70 1908 contrasts sharply with an increase
of $345. 900. or AZ per cent in the aggre-
gate value Of all other fishery products
during the same period. From 1904 to
to 1908, However, the decrease in the
value Of the oyster yield, amounted 10
$4,000 or per cent.
OF the total oyster product Of 1908,
| {, o76, 900 bushels. valued at Sc. 142, 900
were furnished by public areas Private
areas produced only market oysters. and
Of these, only 10000 bushels. valued al
$86. 900. Private beds were of consider
ably more importance in 1904, when they
were. credited with 462. 900 bushels.
valued at $3o2. 900. No record of the
yield of private areas is given for 1907.
| The heavy increase in the crab product
| from 1897 to 1904 did not continue M 10
1908. Although gain of nearly q. ooo,-
900 pounds was reported from 1904 to
1908, the value decreased by $50 200.
The quantity of crabs marketed ifi 1908
was considerably more that double that
in 1897. and the returns to the fishermen
were 46 per cent greater.
| The catch of shad has increased con-
lsiderably since 1904, 3.o37,ooo pounds
being taken in 1908. as compared with
| agra, 900 pounds IN the formar year The
a. -. = o. Il n