HALIBUT, ETC. Nearly related to the Gadida, and like them of great importance, are the flat fishes (Pleuronectidie). The fisheries are exten sive in both Europe and America. Flatfishes are bottom fishes, and many of them are found in deep waters. The principal means of capture, therefore. are the hook and line, haul-seines, pond-nets. and the beam-trawl. The latter method is almost exclusively used by the North European countries. The most important and one of flue most toothsome is the large halibut.. found in all northern seas. It may attain a weight of 400 pounds, though the commoner weight is less than half this. The great fishing grounds for the Atlantic trade of the United States are Grand Bank, Western Bank, Iceland. and Greenland. They are iced, and upon arrival are further prepared for sale either fresh or smoked. The most of the halibut. are cured by smoking. The annual product. larger in former years than now, averages about 1.600.000 pounds, with a value of about $160,000. The Canadian catch of halibut in 1893 amounted to 215.000 pounds, with a value of $59.S00. Two other species of considerable size are found in the American markets: the Greenland halibut, found in the Arctic pails of the Atlantic but not very common, and the Monterey halibut, common along the eoast of California. In European waters the sole vulgoris) is the common flatfish taken for the markets.
LEssma FISHERIES. In addition to the foregoing more important families of fishes there are many others whose species arc not so generally im porta nt. and which are not the object of so exten sive special fisheries.
The most important member of the minnow family in America and Europe is the carp. In Europe it is extensively reared in artificial ponds, and in the United States upon introduc tion it becomes notoriously abundant. Its flesh is not highly esteemed in the United States, though extensively taken for the markets, where it frequently appears under a variety of The suckers (eatostomidis) are much eaten in the Mississippi Valley. The most important of these are the buffalo-fishes, the catch of which in 1896, exclusive of the Great Lakes. was 17. 583,544 pounds, with a value of $418,949. Other suckers brought this sum up to $500.000.
Of greater commercial value than the suckers are the catfishes (Silurida-). The catch in the Mississippi Valley amounted to 14,720.812 pounds in 1896, valued at $532.972.
The fresh-water sheepshead (Aplodinotus grun niens) yielded 5,246,000 pounds in 1896, with a value of $141,000. Along the east coast the sheepsbead is generally regarded as one of the choicest food-fishes. The squeteague, or weakfish,
and the spotted weakfish are extensively taken along the east coast of the United States.
The sea-basses (Serranid:e) include many im portant species, used as food in different regions of their world-wide distribution. In the United States the striped bass (Roccus lineal us) and the white perch (Morose Americana) are among the important species. The groupers are abundantly found in the markets, especially in the Southern United States and in Brazil. These are not infrequently found of great size in the markets, but are of more practicable value as objects of sport.
The morasses (Labridm) are numerous in species, comprising kinds much used as food. The commoner species on the east coast of the United States are the runner and the tautog. The annual commercial catch of the latter amounts to about 1.500,000 pounds, with a value of $60,000.
Various species of pickerel (Luciithe) are of some importance in the Northern United States and Europe. The most familiar one is the com mon pike or pickerel, abundant in northern re gions. The Canadian maskinonge (q.v.) reaches a weight of 100 pounds or more.
The large and small-mouthed black bass and other sunfishes, such as the roek-bass, crappie, etc., are taken in considerable quantities for the markets in the United States, and the first named has been introduced into other countries where they arc now marketed. The market value of the black bass to the fishermen in the United States is about $130,000. representing 2,0(10,000 pounds of fish. The annual catch of crappie is less than half this amount, or 850.000 pounds.
The mullets are commonly found in the markets of both North and South America.
IllnuonitacItY. (loode, Fishery Industries of the United Sloies (Washington, 188-1) ; Fish I !mum ission Ifrportx ( Washing ton. 1871 et seq.) , and l', S. Fish ('ommis sion Bulletins ( Washing) on, 1882 et seg.) ; In spectors of Fisheries for England, Wales, Scot land, and I rcland. A 'Iowa Repots (London, 1897 et sel.) ; Minister of Fisheries of Canada, llvport ( Ot tawa • I 868 et seq.) ; ,k4itt 'I s marilinies (Paris, IS81 et sell.) heals of I he fisheries of Prance; Stevruson, "Preservation of Fishery Products for Food," in the United States Fish Commission's Bulletin. for IS9S ton, 1899), emit :tins a thorough account of the methods Of preserving aquatic p•odnets in the United States and also of countries, their commercial value, etc.; Simmonds, /barest of the Sot (London, 1605) ; id., Com ?IWO fl I Products of the Sea (London, 1683) ; id., The Sea Fisher ies of areal Britain (London, 1883 )'.