Marion
The town of Marion, situated on the western side of Buzzards Bay, possesses a spacious harbor, the waters of which furnish excellent quahaug grounds.
This territory, comprising a total of 400 acres, is chiefly confined to Marion harbor, running in a narrow strip parallel to the shore from Aucoot Cove all along the coast to Planting Island. Almost all the head of the harbor and all of Blankinship’s and Planting Island Cove is quahaug area. Small grounds are also found at Wing’s Cove and in the Weweantit River.
The town law requires each year the possession of a permit costing $1 before a person is entitled to dig quahaugs for sale. Nineteen of these licenses were issued in 1906, but not more than 2 or 3 of these went to men who depend upon quahauging for a living. The remaining 16 engage in the fishery to a greater or lesser extent in the summer season.
The annual production for 1906 was 800 bushels, valued at $1,500, as about half were “little necks.” Mediums are not numerous, and are bought by the quahaug dealers at $1.25 per bushel and sold by them at so much per hundred.
In Marion the quahaug industry once flourished to a marked degree, but at present is very much on the decline. The coves, which once were bedded with “little necks” and quahaugs, are now nearly exhausted. No reasons exist for this condition of affairs, so far as known, except overdigging. Gradually for many years the supply has perceptibly declined, until now it is at a very low ebb. Where a thousand barrels were formerly produced, it is doubtful if a thousand bushels are now dug during the entire season, and the overworked beds are becoming each year more depleted. A. Howard Clark, in his report on the fisheries of Marion, estimates the quahaug production in 1880 as 2,000 bushels. The yield for 1906 is only 800 bushels, which shows an alarming decline in production. If once the waters of Marion could produce a large amount of quahaugs, there is no reason why they cannot again be made to produce the same, or more.
Summary of Industry.
| Area of quahaug territory (acres), | 400 |
| Number of men, | 19 |
| Number of boats, | — |
| Value of boats, | — |
| Number of skiffs, | 19 |
| Value of skiffs, | $200 |
| Value of implements, | $50 |
Production.
| “Little necks”:— | |
| Bushels, | 400 |
| Value, | $1,100 |
| Quahaugs:— | |
| Bushels, | 400 |
| Value, | $400 |
| Total:— | |
| Bushels, | 800 |
| Value, | $1,500 |