The Fisheries of Raritan Bay

About this book

The commercial and sport fisheries of Raritan Bay bordering on the northern coast of New Jersey and the southern coast of Staten Island have a long and interesting history. Little has been written about the Bay however despite its important to the region. Clyde MacKenzies book is about the formation and characteristics of Raritan Bay--and the gear fishing methods and working lives of the fishermen who have caught its shellfish and finfish over the past 300 or more years. Although it is about one-thirtieth the size of Chesapeake Bay Raritan Bay has nearly the same large variety of fisheries. It is a productive and important region whose primary market New York City is only twenty miles from the principal Raritan Bay port of Belford. This proximity ensured fresh fish in the city markets. New York City was also important to residents of the bayshore in other ways. Unfortunately the city has also polluted the Bay seriously endangering the fisheries. The author chronicles the development of the various Bay fisheries historicallly beginning with the Lenapes and early colonists and coming up to the present. He describes the commerical fishing techniques used in various periods to catch the different varieties of fish and shellfish basing much of his discussion on primary materials including illustrations and interviews with fishermen who have worked in the Bay. He also describes the development of sportfishing an important industry in itself especially as the commercial fisheries have declined. The book is full of detailed and useful information on traditional fishing techniques woven into a narrative that is interesting in its own right. Mackenzie concludes his book with descriptions of trips he has taken with contemporary fishermen in which he vividly relates the daily lives of the people who still pursue their livelihood on the water. He spent time on eel pound net purse seine sport fish blue crab and lobster boats. Unfortunately the Bay like many such areas is threatened by pollution. This informative book serves as a potent reminder of what will be lost if Raritan Bay and other fisheries are allowed to decline.