The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-23

al HSHcry PIouuCtS OIL inc state. ASldc 4
from certain species OF nsh, clans and
crabs were the onl yother important
products. The quantity OF crabs taken
was 25.0S3,000 pounds. vauied at $685.
600 and the quantity of clans was
100000 pounds, valued at s3S6,0O0.
The product OF. fish proper amounted
in the aggregate to 249,S90.0 900 POUNDS.
or so per cent. Of the fishery producer
Of the State, and was valued at sl.65S,.
900 or 35 per cent. Of the total value
Fish OF Forty-tro Kinds.
Forty-two species of fish We're taken
in the waters Of the State OF Virginia.
OF these the most important were shad,
menhaden. alewi"es. squcteague or sea
trout. and croakcr. The cobined valuo
for these latter species alone was ST.
$4,000. or 81 per cent. Of the value OF
all fish products.
The combined catch Of the fisheries
Of Chesapeake Bay and It's tributary
waters was sol, $4,000 pounds, valued
at s4,0+6.0oo, or 81 per cent of the
quantity and Sc per cent. OF the value
OF the fishery products OF the entire
State.
The catch Of the Atlantic Ocean dis
trict. which weighed 1O,91S. 900 pounds
and was valued at 100000. represented
only 3 per cent of the total quantity,
and II per cent. or the total value OF
all fishery products of the state.
Sregated 27o,o7o,ooo pounds. valued at
sl.oo9oo0, or &C per cent Of the total
quantity of fishery products taken in
the State, and Fl per cent OF their
total value oysters. menhaden ana
crabs furnished the largest value.
The combined catch of the shore and
boat fisheries of the State aggregated
10S.444,000 pounds. having q value Of
s3I0I,000, or "a per cent. and 10 per
cent. respectively, of the total quaint
ity and value of all the fishery pro-
ducts OF the state. Oysters shad and
clans were the three most important
products.
The Apparatus Employed.
In respect TO the different kinds Of
apparatus used In the capture of fish
in the waters OF the State Of Virgins
the catch made with dredGes, tonGs
and rakers. representing mainly the
yield Of oysters. but also that of CLANS
and crabs, contributed a larger per-
centage OF the value OF the produce
than the catch made with any other
class OF apparatus The value OF the
products taken in pound and trap nets
made this class OF apparatus second In
Importance; nearly all the species Of
fish reported being captured in this
way They We're employed especially
In taking shad and herring. Seinea
ranked third In the value OF products.
they We're used mostly in the vessel
fisheries.
The oyster product Of Virginia COM
prised $4,000 bushels of market
oysters. valued at Sl,96T0o0, and H.
100000 bushels of seed oysters. valued
at S3si, 600. The cultivation of oysters
has become an important part OF the
oystery industry Of the State. Public
reefs have become yearly less produc-
tive and there has been a tendency to
enlarge the area available for private
beds. 5
AS yet, however. the cultivated oys-
tiers of Virginia have not brought as
high price per bushel as those from
New York and Connecticut, although
the natural conditions of the Virginia
waters are ideal for cultivation, and
the State laws afford fairly good pro-
lection to private oyster culture. The
average price of market oysters per
bushel WAS 81 cents for those from
private areas, and AZ cents for those
from public areas The average price
OF seed oysters was 81 cents per bushei.
Shnd Led Among Fish.
Shad ranked next to oysters In value
and was the most important species of
fish caught The Virginia catch was
the largest in the country in 1908,
weighing T.3li.oo0 pounds, and being
valued al S4S6.000, or about onc-fourth
OF tho entire quantity and value of the
shad caught in tho waters Of the United
of the value of all fisheries product
Of the State According to the reports
of fishermen, the decrease Of shad in
the :ivers tributary TO Chesapeake Bay
continues.
The menhaden product Of Virginia in
zoos amounted to 1?0oSo.OoO pounds,
valued at $4,000. and represented
nearly half the total weight and value
of all the menhaden caught in the
United States The catch was consid
erably less than in 1901. but was larger
t han in 1897. These fish run in large
schools, and are caught principally by
means of senc.s. Practically the en-
tire catch was from the chesapeake
BAY district, chiefly from It's vessel
fisheries.
The value Of he hard clam product
of Virginia exceeded that reported
from any other states. In 1908 the yield
WAS $4,000 bushels. valued at S3S0,000
Though ranking only NTH with re
spcct to value among the fishery pro-
ducts of Virginia, thc total crab pro
due; Of the state surpassed in value