266 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



bad weather that it keeps the water thick and dirty all the time. When 

 the nets are hauled up they are full of sea- weed, kelp, and all such stuff'; 

 so, in rough weather, they don't have much chance to fish. I had a talk 

 with George, my son; he says he never saw so many beach-hsh as he 

 saw last Wednesday ; they were off shore and as far in as the eye could 

 sfe ; they were bound to the westward. The same day he saw a large 

 school of porpoises bound west. The vessels that were out in the last 

 gale, February 4, come in slowly. I am sorry to say I think some 

 of them will never come. Some of the haddock vessels have been gone 

 four weeks. Some of the George's vessels have been out as long ; I hope 

 they will all come, but I think it doubtful. All the vessels that have 

 come in are more or less damaged; they all report the gale very hard. 

 I think if we had fine weather they would do well with nets for a month 

 to come. The fresh-halibut catchers that have come in fared hard ; their 

 decks swei)t, and the dories stove. All say one thing : it was a bad time. 

 Gloucester, Mass., February 12, 1882. 



AIV OPIIVIOIV RECiARDIIVC} THE INFI. VEIVCE UPOIV THE COAST FISH- 

 JGRIE!!^ OF THE STEA3£ER.<^ USED IN THE ITIEIVHA0EIV FISHERV. 



By J. W. HATI^KINS. 



[Letter to Prof. Spencer F. Baird.] 



Jamespoet, ]Sr. Y., January 20, 1882. 



I am engaged in the menhaden fishery, having been master of a 

 steamer in that business for six years past and before that for four 

 years in a sail vessel. 



In view of the fact that a bill is pending before the ISTew Jersey legis- 

 lature to stop the use of steamers for catching menhaden off the coast of 

 that State, will you please state your views as to the relative extent of 

 the injury, if any, done to the fisheries for edible fish bj^ the operations 

 of the menhaden fishermen as compared with the influence of other 

 causes, including the destruction of menhaden by their natural enemies? 



1. Do we catch edible fish ourselves with our set-nets? 



We do not find them with the menhaden, except as they are chasing 

 , and worrying the menhaden. 



We never look for nor set for anything else but menhaden, and, take 

 the season through, we do not catch enough to supply our table on board 

 the steamer. 



There was one instance that you have heard of, but it was exceptional 

 and was the only one that ever happened in my experience. In June 

 last, while on my steamer, the J. W. Hawkins, off Eockaway, I set for 

 what I supposed to be a school of menhaden. When I had surrounded 

 them I thought I discovered they were bluefish and that my seine was 

 gone (for bluefish eat a seine, and such a school would have destroyed 



