672 HISTOEY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



the stream pledge themselves to sell fish to citizens of the town at one-half a cent apiece. Citizens 

 of Harwich may purchase fish at a low price at the stream, which flows between that town arid 

 Dennis, every evening except Saturday, when the people of the latter town have the sole right. 



PRIVATE FISHERIES. In addition to the public streams there are a number of others, owned 

 and controlled by private parties. They are usually artificially formed, and connect ponds near 

 the shore with the salt water. Such an one was opened at Waquoit about sixteen years ago, and 

 more recently another at West Dennis. The fishery in these artificial brooks is quite as successful 

 as that in the natural streams. 



METHODS OF CAPTURE. At South Yarmouth a number of sweep-seines are employed exclu- 

 sively for alewives. In 1877 four were used, but in 1878 only one. The men fish off Bass Eiver, 

 but arc restrained by law from approaching within one-half mile from its mouth, because they 

 would then affect the success of the fishery in the river. 



Large quantities of alewives, together with other species, are taken iu the weirs and pounds, 

 especially those located on the south shore of Cape Cod and north shore of Martha's Vineyard. 

 In the weirs of Chatham, and iu certain others at Waquoit and Falmouth, in use only in spring, 

 a very large proportion of the total catch consists of alewives, the remainder being principally 

 menhaden and sea-herring. At Harwich and Falmouth a number of gill-nets are employed, in 

 which considerable numbers of alewives are taken, together with two other species, sea-herring 

 and menhaden. 



DISPOSITON OP CATCH. The alewives taken in the streams are almost universally smoked or 

 salted, while those taken in weirs and pounds are generally sold fresh to fishing vessels, to be used 

 for bait. At Wellfleet they are salted and dried and sold in bulk, and the same is the case at 

 West Dennis. About one-half the yield of the Bass River fisheries is pickled, and the remainder 

 smoked. There are three smoke-houses near the pond, together worth about $100. Prior to 1879 

 the alewives taken in the Centreville stream, in the town of Bainstable, were all pickled, but in 

 1879 a considerable portion was sold to fishing vessels, and a few were smoked. The "catcher" at 

 Sandwich usually smokes a few fish and sells them to the citizens. In Tisbury, one-tenth of the 

 catch is reserved by the town and sold to pay for keepiug the stream free from weeds. This tenth 

 part of the catch is annually purchased by a certain dealer at Holmes Hole, who iu turn sells the 

 fish to fishing vessels for bait. At the Harwich River fisheries four men and five women are 

 employed in saltiug the alewives. 



VALUE OF FISHERIES. The fisheries of Wellfleet and Harwich and Bass River, which are 

 leased at auction, bring different prices in different years, according to the competition among the 

 bidders, and the apparent prospect of a large or small catch. Harwich River fishery was leased 

 in the spring of 1879 for five years, at the rate of $600 per year. The average price paid for the 

 Bass River fishery is $700, but large quantities of white perch are taken in this stream, the value 

 of which is considerable. 



The price paid for alewives by fishing vessels is about 1 cent apiece, and of smoked alewives 

 about the same. 



The total quantity of alewives taken in Barnstable County in 1879 was 1,150,295 pounds, 

 valued at $7,048. 



4. FISHERIES OF THE MERRIMAC RIVER. 



Of the two principal tributaries of the Merrimac, one the western branch rises in the 

 White Mountains and forms a junction with the other the eastern branch, which flows from Lake 

 Wiunipiseogee at the town of Plymouth. Prior to the erection of obstructions on the Merrimac 



