1879 v. 1907.—In comparing the present condition of the shellfisheries with that of 1879, it will be seen that many changes have taken place. Even twenty-five years ago inroads were being made upon the natural supply; from that time to the present can be traced a steady decline. During the past five years the production has been augmented by additional men, who have entered into the business under the attraction of higher prices, and the extension of the quahaug and oyster fisheries. Though the annual catch is greater, a disproportionately greater amount of time, labor and capital is required to secure an equal quantity of shellfish.
| 1907. | 1879. | Gain. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production (bushels), | 562,991 | 264,818 | 297,273 |
| Men, | 2,912 | 910 | 2,092 |
| Capital, | $502,857 | $165,000 | $337,857 |
| Area (acres), | 66,501 | 66,501 | — |
The following instances illustrate specific decline in the various natural shellfisheries:—
(1) Oyster industry, natural beds: Wareham, Marion, Bourne, Wellfleet, Charles River.
(2) Sea clam industry: Dennis, Chatham, Nantucket.
(3) Scallop industry: Buzzards Bay and north side of Cape Cod (Barnstable).
(4) Clam industry: Essex, Plymouth, Duxbury, Buzzards Bay, Annisquam, Wellfleet, Nantucket.
(5) Quahaug industry: Chatham, Buzzards Bay, Fall River district.
These are only a few of the more prominent cases. Similar cases will be found all along the coast of Massachusetts, and no one can deny that the natural supply is rapidly becoming exhausted, and that methods are needed to increase the production, or at least to save the little that remains.