Nantucket
The quahaug industry of Nantucket ranks second to the main shellfish industry, the scallop fishery, and brings annually about $8,000 to the island. Nantucket is especially adapted for quahaugs, as Nantucket harbor, Maddequet harbor and the Island of Tuckernuck possess extensive territory. In spite of these natural advantages, which are as fine as any in the State, Nantucket produces only 6,000 bushels annually, whereas her resources, under proper cultural methods, warrant an annual production exceeding even that of Wellfleet, which is at present shipping 33,000 bushels.
The quahauging territory of Nantucket is divided into three sections: (1) Nantucket harbor; (2) Maddequet harbor; and (3) Tuckernuck.
In Nantucket harbor quahaugs are found over an area of 2,290 acres, both scattering and in thick patches. The principal areas are situated as follows:—
(1) Near the town between Monomoy Heights and the wharves is a territory of 240 acres. In the deep water directly out from the wharves there has been good quahauging although the bed was discovered only a few years ago.
(2) On the east side of the harbor, between Abram’s Point and Pocomo Head, including Polpis harbor, are extensive grounds, comprising about 900 acres, of scattering quahaugs.
(3) On the opposite side of the harbor lies a strip of quahaug territory of 250 acres, which extends between Third Point and Bass Point.
(4) At the head of the harbor on both sides quahaugs are found over an area of 900 acres.
Maddequet harbor on the western end of the island has approximately 300 acres suitable for quahaugs, running from Broad Creek to Eel Point.
On the eastern end of Tuckernuck Island is a bed of quahaugs covering about 200 acres; while on the west side, between Muskeget and Tuckernuck, is a large area of 2,500 acres, which is more or less productive. The Tuckernuck fishery is largely “little necks,” and it is from here that the shipment of small “seed” quahaugs has been made.
In the spring and fall men who have been boatmen during the summer work at quahauging. While 48 men work irregularly, about 18 men are engaged in the fishery during the entire summer, though probably never more than 30 are raking at any one time.
The production in 1906, from April I to November I, was 2,159 barrels, or 6,477 bushels; value, $7,557.
Production, 1907.8
| MONTHS. | QUAHAUGS. | “LITTLE NECKS.” | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrels. | Average price per Barrel. | Bushels. | Value. | Barrels. | Average price per Barrel. | Bushels. | Value. | |
| April | 138 | $3.50 | 414 | $483 | -- | — | — | — |
| May | 257 | 4.00 | 771 | 1,028 | 4 | $14.00 | 12 | $56 |
| June | 460 | 4.00 | 1,380 | 1,840 | 13 | 14.00 | 39 | 182 |
| July | 355 | 3.00 | 1,065 | 1,060 | 33 | 14.00 | 90 | 462 |
| August | 312 | 3.50 | 936 | 1,092 | 20 | 15.00 | 60 | 300 |
| September | 302 | 3.42 | 906 | 1,032 | 22 | 10.00 | 66 | 220 |
| October | 123 | 4.00 | 369 | 492 | 9 | 10.00 | 27 | 90 |
| November | 50 | 3.00 | 150 | 150 | -- | — | — | — |
| Total | 1,997 | $3.60 | 5,991 | $7,177 | 101 | $12.97 | 303 | $1,310 |
| “Little necks” | 101 | 303 | 1,310 | |||||
| Grand total | 2,098 | 6,294 | $8,487 | |||||
The month of June shows the largest production, as the summer people do not arrive in any numbers until July. The men who do the summer boating are engaged in the quahaug fishery during this month, naturally increasing the production.
The principal method is raking from a boat or dory with a long-handled basket rake, very similar in form to the rake used on Cape Cod. The second method, applicable only in shallow water, employs the use of a claw rake with a much shorter handle. The quahauger uses this rake in the shallow water, where he can wade at low tide. The largest claw rakes are often wider than the basket rakes, and are much cheaper.
At Nantucket about 5 per cent. of the entire catch is “little necks,” which are found mostly at Tuckernuck. The quahauger usually makes three culls of his catch: (1) “little necks”; (2) medium; (3) large. A few blunts are obtained. The quahaugs are shipped chiefly to New York and Boston markets, either directly by the quahaugers or through Nantucket firms.
The boats used in the industry, numbering 24 sail, 6 power and 10 single dories, and approximating $6,150 in value, are in a way transitory capital, and are used in the winter for scalloping and other fishing. Nevertheless, it is necessary to class them as capital used in the quahaug fishery.
No special town laws are made for the regulation of the Nantucket quahaug fishery, although at any time by vote of the town suitable regulations and by-laws can be made.
Quahaugs have probably always been abundant at Nantucket, as over fifty years ago they were reported as plentiful. It is only of late years that the fishery has assumed any great importance, when the increasing prices, especially for the “little necks,” made it profitable for men to enter the business. As it is, many men now quahaug only when they have nothing else to do.
From the statistics of the United States Fish Commission for 1879 we find that the annual catch for that year amounted to 150 bushels, valued at $75. As a striking contrast to this, the present production of 6,294 bushels, valued at $8,487, shows the great development of the fishery, which has been caused by more men entering the business, the opening up of new beds, such as the “little neck” beds of Tuckernuck, and the improved methods of raking in the deep water.
It is rather difficult to state definitely, from lack of past statistical figures, whether Nantucket industry is declining or improving. Between 1879 and 1906 no records are obtainable. The production figures for 1906 show 6,477 bushels, as compared with 6,144 bushels in 1907. Whether there was merely a sudden temporary increase in the supply by the opening up of new beds in 1906, or whether there is a steady decline, can only be determined by the production of future years. Many indications point to the latter, in spite of the assurance of the quahaugers that 1907 was a good season, because of high market prices.
The last few years have witnessed a change in the quahaug fishery,—a realization that there is more money in planting and raising quahaugs than in oyster culture. The out-of-State oystermen, especially in New York, have been the first to realize this, and have been buying, at the rate of $4 to $5 per bushel, all the small quahaugs they can procure, merely replanting, to reap the following year a yield of 3 to 6 bushels for every bushel planted.
Under the stimulus of the high prices offered, many bushels of small quahaugs have been shipped from the town, which thus lost what the planters gained. There is much feeling against such a practice, but so far nothing has been done by the town to stop this shipping of “seed” quahaugs. As the town has full control of its shellfisheries, it has only to pass a simple law allowing no quahaugs under 2 inches to be taken, and see that it is properly enforced. Such a matter should be attended to at once, as not only is the actual value of the catch diminished, but the industry is seriously impaired by the capture of these small quahaugs before they can spawn.
The only other way to remedy this difficulty is to grant licenses allowing the replanting of these small quahaugs on the barren parts of the harbor until they have obtained a proper size. The results obtained from the experiments of the commission in Polpis harbor show that quahaugs will grow rapidly when thus replanted in suitable places, and that a gain of ½ to ¾ of an inch, or 3 to 6 bushels for every bushel bedded, can be obtained during the six summer months (May to November).
Summary of Industry.
| Area of quahaug territory (acres), | 5,290 |
| Number of men, | 48 |
| Number of boats, | 30 |
| Value of boats, | $5,800 |
| Number of dories, | 10 |
| Value of dories, | $350 |
| Value of gear, | $600 |
Production.
| “Little necks”:— | |
| Bushels, | 303 |
| Value, | $1,310 |
| Quahaugs:— | |
| Bushels, | 5,991 |
| Value, | $7,177 |
| Total:— | |
| Bushels, | 6,294 |
| Value, | $8,487 |