As can be seen by the following table, which gives a comparison between the industry in 1879 and 1907, the localities south of Gloucester all show a decline in their production, and there is no town on the coast which has not shown some depletion in the natural clam supply. The localities of the north shore, while indicating by their statistics a gain in production, nevertheless have not their former abundance, and the actual diminution of the supply is concealed by the fact that more men have entered the industry. =====================+=========================+=========================== | 1879. | 1907. LOCALITY. +-------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------- | Men. |Bushels.| Value. | Men. |Bushels.| Value. ---------------------+-------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------- Ipswich, | 75 | 11,500 | $4,600 | 136 | 25,000 | $18,750 Salisbury and | | | | | | Newburyport, | 60 | 28,800 | 11,520 | 241 | 70,500 | 77,500 Essex, | 75 | 11,500 | 4,500 | 50 | 15,000 | 12,750 Gloucester, | 92 | 13,978 | 5,200 | 31 | 6,000 | 8,000 Boston harbor, | 90 | 40,000 | 20,000 | 350[19]| 7,500 | 6,000 Duxbury, | -[20]| 5,000 | 2,500 | 5 | 700 | 600 Plymouth | -[20]| 5,000 | 2,500 | 6 | 3,000 | 2,500 Harwich, | 15 | 1,125 | 400 | - | 100 | 80 Chatham, | 150 | 35,000 | 12,250 | 10 | 1,500 | 1,200 Nantucket, | -[19]| 2,253 | 872 | 4 | 400 | 350 Edgartown, | -[20]| 4,000 | 1,570 | 7 | 1,200 | 1,000 New Bedford district,| -[20]| 5,800 | 2,900 | 332[19]| 1,600 | 1,685 Fall River district, | -[20]| 3,375 | 3,121 | 25 | 5,315 | 5,290 =====================+=======+========+========+========+========+========== _Causes of the Decline._--The same cause which has been stated in the general report has contributed to the decline of the clam supply, _i.e._, the increasing demand which has led to overfishing. Thus the decline can be directly attributed to the exploiting of natural clam resources by man, although it must be admitted that natural agencies, such as geographical changes, destroy the clam flats of certain localities and build up others.