THE MENHADEN FISHERY. 349 



ter had in 1877 about CO " mackerel-hookers," using about 2,400 barrels of slivers, while its seining 

 fleet used about 2,000 barrels more. 



Capt. Sylvauus Smith, of Gloucester, stated to the Halifax Commission that a vessel fitting 

 out for a four mouths' trip to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence would need to be supplied with 40 

 barrels of pogy bait, worth $0 a barrel, rnakiug $240, and 10 barrels of salt clams, worth $8 a 

 barrel, making $80.* 



Major Low's statement, copied from the trip-book of the schooner Oliver Eldridge,t shows 

 that she fitted out with 55 barrels of slivered pogies, at $6.50 a barrel, making $357.50, aud 7 

 barrels of clams, at $0, making $42. 



The amount of these outfits is much greater than that upon which the above estimate was 

 made. 



The entire amount used iu the mackerel fishery in 1877 probably did not exceed 8,000 or 9,000 

 barrels of slivers, or 24,000 to 27,000 barrels of "round fish." 



CONSUMPTION BY THE CONNECTICUT SMACKS. In 1878 there were seven Connecticut .smacks 

 fishing for the flounder (ChcEnopsctta ocellaris) in Long Island and Block Island Sounds. Five of 

 these hailed from Noank, one from Mystic, aud one from New London. Captain Ashby states 

 that these smacks average one trip every tour or five days for five months (May to September inclu- 

 sive). They use only menhaden bait; about one barrel each trip, or perhaps 150 barrels in the season. 



About sixteen Noank and four New London smacks fish for sea-bass. Each carries two or 

 three barrels of menhaden bait each trip, making an aggregate annual amount of about 1,000 

 barrels. 



CONSUMPTION BY THE NEW YOEK HALIBUT FLEET. The New York halibut fleet of eleven 

 vessels, owned at Noank, New London, and Greeuport, uses only menhaden bait, which is iced 

 fresh in the vessels' holds. A vessel carries from 0,000 to 10,000 fish on each trip, and makes 

 five or six trips. The aggregate number of menhaden thus used is perhaps 480,000, or 1,400 

 barrels. The usual price is $4 a thousand. 



ANNUAL SALE OF BAIT BY THE MAINE MANUFACTURERS. The Menhaden Oil and Guano 

 Manufacturing Association of Maine sold for bait : 



Barrels of fish. 



Iulb73 2,977 



In 1874 10,400 



In 1875 10,752 



In 1876 8,432 



In 1877 10,795 



THE CONNECTICUT METHOD OF ICING BAIT. A peculiar method of preserving the unsalted 

 menhaden is made use of on board the Connecticut halibut-catchers. The fish, after being very 

 carefully cleaned and eviscerated, are packed with pounded ice in bins holding about 125 cubic 

 feet (about 5 feet in each dimension). A ground-layer of ice-blocks 12 inches thick is first laid, 

 then a tier of fish consisting of two layers and about 4 inches thick, then a layer of 4 inches of 

 pounded ice, and so on until the bin is filled, after which its sides are packed with pounded ice 

 and covered with canvas. Seven to ten thousand fish are thus stowed in ono bin. The stowing 

 having been completed, the fish and ice freeze together in a solid mass, which is left untouched 

 until the fishing-banks are reached. 



Their supply of bait being thus secured, the vessels are never obliged to make harbor in search 



* Documents and Proceedings of the Halifax Commission, 1877, Vol. Ill, p. 2547. 



t Which sailed for the Bay of Saint Lawrence August 5,1875 (absent two mouths and twmly-ri^lit days), arrived 

 at Gloucester November 2, 1875, stocking $1,771.83, or 224 barrels of mess mackerel. 

 { Documents and Proceedings of the Halifax Commission, 1877, Vol. Ill, p. 2602. 



