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GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



Falls, a few miles above Haverhill, and the river is navigable for small vessels to this point, 20 

 miles from its inoutu. Within this limit are the once famous ship-building towns of Salisbury, 

 Amesbury, and Haverhill on the north side, and Newbury, Bradford, and Newburyport on the south. 



Although this part of the New England coast had been visited by explorers several years 

 before the French explorer De Champlain, yet he is credited with the discovery of the Merrimac 

 in 1005. The great importance and value of this stream at the present time is for the power 

 given by its numerous falls to the great manufacturing interests along its course, yet we are 

 reminded of the time before those industries had polluted its waters and destroyed its natural 

 gifts. For an abundance of food-fishes of the best varieties this river then had no superior, and 

 in the early history of the country was highly valued on their account. Even the present geueia- 

 tion recall the time when the river was well stocked with fish. William Stark, esq., at the 

 Manchester centennial celebration held October 22, 1851, says: "My father has seen the shad so 

 thick as to crowd each other in their passage up the falls to gain the smooth water above, so that 

 you could not put in your hand without touching some of them, and yet there were more alewives 

 than shad, and more eels than both." 



It is said enough eels were salted down annually to be equal in value to three hundred head 

 of cattle. Salmon were also very abundant. Sturgeon, frequently alluded to in the early history, 

 were plenty and caught to considerable extent. At present there is no fishing of importance 

 carried on in the river. Alewives are taken to some extent, and during the summer New York 

 parties camp along the banks and take sturgeon for their market. There is no record of the 

 amount caught. Sturgeon are said to be quite plenty, but as they are not considered a food-fish 

 in the New England markets no attention is paid to them by the New England fishermen. 



The State of Massachusetts is trying to restock the river with shad and salmon, but with the 

 numerous factories above and the non-enforcement of the protection laws below, the salmon have 

 a hard time; yet a good progress is reported. 



STATISTICAL SUMMATION OF THE FISHING INTERESTS FOR 1879. The following statements 

 give in detail the extent of the fishing interests of Newburyport district: 



Summary statement of persons employed and capital invested. 



a Cash capital, $23,000 ; wharves, shoreliouses, and fixtures, $75,000. 

 Detailed statement of capital invested in vessels, boats, nets, and traps. 



