192 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



three other schooners were making attempts on George's 

 Bank. As early as the middle of the previous century, 

 Marblehead fishing vessels were accustomed to make trips 

 to George's for cod. The vessels did not anchor, but 

 drifted about on the fishing grounds. It was the prevailing 

 belief that no vessel could anchor safely on George's for 

 fear of being overwhelmed and sunk at anchor by the 

 strong current that is found on the Bank. The three 

 Gloucester schooners kept close together for mutual as- 

 sistance if any danger arose. Fina.lly the crew of one 

 of the vessels got up courage to cast anchor, only to weigh 

 it again immediately. 



For a number of years the codfishery did not progress. 

 In 1827, the product of the fishery was 66,133 quintals 

 and 2,204 barrels of oil. The offshore codfishery of 1829 

 was in a depressed state. The business had become of little 

 value to the owners of the fishing vessels, due largely to 

 competition of foreign fishermen and higher rates of bounty 

 paid to them. The falling off of foreign trade also meant 

 the loss of profitable returns formerly made on cargoes 

 of sugar, wine, and other imports, brought by vessels on 

 their return trips from selling their fish abroad. Then, 

 too, the remarkable development of the mackerel fishery 

 turned much capital into the newer and more remunerative 

 occupation. The period of decline in the codfishery did 

 not change for the better before 1841. 



In the meantime, other kinds of fishing were profitably 

 pursued. The shore fishery of Gloucester was of consider- 

 able importance about 1832, when 799 men were employed. 

 The catch of 63,112 quintals of cod was valued at $157,780, 

 and there was a government bounty of $25,172. As early 

 as 1819, halibut had been found on Middle Bank. 1 The 

 first trip to George's for halibut was made by the schooner 



i Memorial and Record Book, p. 67. 



