Fishing

[kalos72]

So you all know, I am trying to run a 2k campaign in Manhattan where my group sort of sets up shop to take over.

So with that in mind...

My problem is calculating food production numbers...most publications give Manhattan alone a population of over 100k.

I am having some measurable problems with trying to figure the math out to feed 100k people. Or even how they can feed themselves.

Have any of you worked out details on fishing fleets/food production numbers and such?

[Webstral]

I've never done the math. My impression is that 100k people are being fed a) poorly, b) by eating everything in sight, and c) with as much trade to communities elsewhere as possible. I'll be the first to admit that the 100k population figure requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. On the other hand, I'm claiming in "Thunder Empire" that 400,000 can be supported with local resources in Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Pima Counties. I'd be willing to consider almost any plausible explanation--if for no other reason than to support the official history. (I read the canon post)

Webstral

[kato13]

Agricultural census for 1997
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publica...1997/index.asp

New York Agriculture county breakdown for 1997

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publica...rk/ny_chp2.pdf


Arizona
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publica...na/az_chp2.pdf


Won't help for fishing except to tell you that New York state has a few fish farms, but might help with agricultural production for neighboring counties.

[Mohoender]

If Manhattan was spared so was Long Island. At time, I had done some math and came up with a final figure of about 400k survivors with 100k in Manhattan and the remaining ones in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island.

Long Island can be turned in farmland (actually it still has several farmers I think). Fishing is important of course and I can imagine the people in the area trading with the fishermen of Rhode Island (or fighting with them over fishing areas). Of course, central park had been turned into farmlands.

Feeding would be poor and unequal (especially because of the gangs) but I think that it can work.

What do you think? Actually I have never seen anything on Long Island and I have the feeling it would play a major role.

[kato13]

Queens, Kings (Brooklyn),Nassau and Suffolk counties make up Long Island.

Kings county has 8 farms covering 8 acres.
Nassau county has 55 farms covering 1,390 acres.
Queens county has 2 farms covering 4 acres.
Suffolk county has 606 farms covering 35,858 acres.

[Legbreaker]

They're not farms, they're backyard vegetable plots!

100k seems very excessive to me, but as has been posted, it's possible I think provided the inhabitants aren't picky about what they eat. Rats, dogs, cats, pigeons, you name it would all see duty on the dinner plate.
Anywhere something can grow, somebody is almost certainly trying to grow something. Even in dank, dark cellars! (mushrooms)
Of course we can't forget parks, vacant blocks, rooftops and so on. Hydroponic systems are likely to be fairly widespread and especially useful for the winter months if set up indoors. Indoor (even outdoor) swimming pools could be converted into fish ponds (food, not gold).

So, I don't think food production is likely to be on a large scale, but just about everyone will be involved in it somehow. Yes, fishing the surrounding waters is very likely, but I believe that would represent a very small percentage of the total.