The Republican journal., 1911-03-23
Maine the Lobster State.
Some Interesting Facts Concerning the
Fishing Industry

Some Interesting Facts Concerning the
Fishing Industry,
WASHINGTON, March 10Th. The ''sa-
cred Goldfish" backed by many OF the
80 other varieties of sea food, still NAM
tains the supremacy of Massachusetts IN
the fishing industry Of the country, ac-
cording to a special report for 1908 is
sued today by the department OF com
merce and labor. There arr 81 other
States engaged in salt and fresh water
fishing. but Massachusetts easily leads
her sister States and contributes IL per
cent. of the total in q antity and value
of the fisheries of the entire country.
The grou d fishermen of Boston, the
GRAND bankers and mackerel selners OF
Gloucester, the clam diggers OF cape
Cod. the herring dippers of Taunton, the
swordfish harpooners of Edgartown, the
scallops cullers of Nantucket and the
whalemen of New Bedford and Province
town, with others engaged IN MINOR hsh-
cries, to the number OF ll.oH men,
stocked S7,0a5, 900 in 1908, upon an IN
vested capital of S., 749, Ooo.
MILLIONS IN CLANS.
Cod. haddock and mackerel were the
most important species of fish taken,
the catch of each of these being larger
than that of any other State. Massa-
chusetts ranked first also in the catch OF
Is other kinds of fish, and second in 10
others, while the fishermen obtained
more than 81, 100000 for their clans,
herring, pollock, halibut, Holsters, sperm
oil, hake and oysters. Swordfsn, seal
lops and founders contributed more than
a million to the wealth of the Bay State.
Yet this harvest was not landed With
ouHTisk, and more than three-quarters,
or II per cent, was brought IN by the
sailing fleet, mostly from OFT shore
grounds. while % per cent. Of the fishing
was from small boats.
Cod. haddock, hake, halibut and other
deep sea fish to the value of So, $50, 900,
or nearly 60 per cent, came over the side
at the end of handlines, and $500, 900
worth of other fish, mostly mackerel,
was taken by means of seines, with
dredges, gills nets, whaling apparatus
and lobster traps, following in the order
named.
The pre-eminence of this State in the
fish Industry is due primarily to the great
importance of it's sailing vessels, or "otf
shore" fisheries, the headquarters OF
which are concentrated In few ports,
notably Gloucester and Boston, long
famous as the home of the "Grand Bank
ers.'
GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT.
Bv comparison of the fisheries statis-
tics for 1889, 1898 and 1902 and 1905, it is
seen that since 1889, at each successive
canvass except in 1898, larger value OF
products was reported than at the pre-
ceding canvass, but for the other items
the figures for 1905 are less than for
1898. During the last decade, however,
al ont
the fishing industry in Massachusetts.
In 1908 the districts in which Glouces-
ter and Boston are situated represented
about 10 per cent. of the total number of
persons employed, the total capital in
vested in vessels and shore property, and
total value of products.
The number of persons employed IN
the Massachusetts fisheries formed per
cent of the total for the entire United
States, while the investment OF capital
was larger than that of any other State,
comprising Ia per cent of the total for
the United States. Practically 70 per
cent of the total investment in Massa-
chusetts fisheries was in deepWater YES
sells and their outfits, there being total
of 638 craft with value of "a, 2O4, 600.
The value of sailing vessels and thell
outfits was almost five times that OF the
steam vessels.
The Goldfish. ''grate" stores of which
Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold caught oil
the famous Cape three centuries ago, il
still the most prolific, the most easily
caught and the best commercial fist
that swims, and in 1908 Massachusetts,
handliners on the Grand Banks, the
Georges and alongshore. landed 81, s44,
600 Worth, representing 64 per cent Of
the total catch of the country and II pei
cent of the total value of all other varie
ties. Most of it was sold sailed.
While not approaching the record O
1899, still 1908 was good year for tn
cod, and cod6shball appears to be in nj