68 



FISH AND GAME. 



not only did Massachusetts crafts reap the greatest mackerel 

 financial harvest ever known, but garnered the major portion 

 of it right in "their own front yard." 



Some idea of the magnitude of the value of this 1916 strike 

 of mackerel can be gleaned from the fact that stocks of $25,000 

 and $30,000 were common for the six months' season (from 

 $17,000 to $25,000 has often in years past carried off the high- 

 line honor). Several vessels stocked from $30,000 to $40,000, 

 quite a number from $40,000 to $50,000, several from $50,000 

 to $55,000 and one made the magnificent total of nearly 

 $70,000. 



The total mackerel catch of the New England fleet for 1916 

 (the fleet being practically all Massachusetts crafts) was 

 102,418 barrels fresh and 32,066 barrels salt. This catch was 

 exceeded in several years in the palmy days of the 80's, when 

 the fleet numbered from 300 to 400 sail, and included craft 

 from practically every port in New England, but in point of 

 "value received" the season of 1916 stands in a class by 

 itself. 



The high line of the fleet was schooner "Arthur James," 

 Capt. John Matheson of Gloucester, whose stock for the 

 season - - practically seven months - - was $69,592.89 gross, and 

 on this each man of the crew shared $1,527 "clear of his 

 living" aboard for that time. This stock is a record in the 

 history of fishing, and has never been even approached by any 

 sailing craft in any line of fishing in the New and probably in 

 the Old World. 



The stocks of some of the others of the mackerel seining 

 fleet were as follows: 



