BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 263 



thousands of shallow lakes.and streams that this fish may do well in, 

 while such fish as bass, pickerel, perch, and flesh-eating fish seek deeper 

 and colder waters. Whitefish are caught varying in size from 3 to 6 

 l)Ounds in lakes where they were planted four years ago. When bass 

 and pickerel shall be got out carp and whitefish will become our stand- 

 ard fish. Eels, I think, will inhabit all our waters.. I have opened 

 lumdreds of eels in Pennsylvania, but never found a fish in one of 

 them or in a catfish, as I have in bass, pickerel, perch, and some other 

 kinds. Hence fish that live on vegetable matter are the kind for us to 

 propagate. I hope to see fish culture encouraged by national and State 

 bounties. Michigan will ere long have fish to export to other States if 

 properly encouraged. 



^ NOTES ON THE GliOUCESTEK FISHERY. 



By S. J. MARTIW. 



[Letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



The most of the netters have put their nets ashore. Could not get 

 fish enough in them to make it pay. The fishermen that put their nets 

 down in November have used them uj). No fault with the nets. They 

 don't get any fish, because there are no fish inshore. I think if one 

 of the boats had gone out to Long Island it would have done well. 

 There have been plenty offish at Coney Island and Rockaway this winter. 

 I think some nets would have done first-rate. They fish there with hand- 

 lines, two men in a boat. They don't fish more than three miles from 

 shore. There are plenty of herring this winter at Grand Manan and New- 

 foundland. Some A^essels have made three trips this winter to Grand 

 Manan, five vessels at Newfoundland, coming home full. Two have ar- 

 rived with full cargoes. Herring are selling at 75 cents a hundred. 

 The vessels are doing well on George's. The vessels get more halibut 

 this winter than they have the past ten years. They fish on the east- 

 ern part of the bank in 40 fixthoms water. They get as high as 8,000 

 pounds. In catching 20,000 pounds cod, that makes a good trip. There 

 are six vessels getting ready to go to the western bank after codfish. It 

 is early for vessels to go the western bank. What started them oft' 

 so early? The haddock vessels (one of them was on the western part of 

 western bank) found plenty of codfish ; more cod than haddock. All 

 kinds of fish bring a high price. Fresh halibut sold yesterday at 7 cents 

 a pound; fresh cod, 3 cents a pound; haddock, 3^ cents a pound; salt 

 cod out of the vessel, 3:| cents a pound. Dried George's cod sold yester 

 day at $5 75 a quintal. Everything looks prosperous for the coming year. 

 The most of the old stock is out of the market. 



Gloucester, Mass., January 22, 1882. 



