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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 159 



11.— NOTES OIV THE COD GILL-NET FISHERIES AT GLOUCESTER, 



MASSACHUSETTS.— 1882-1883. 



By S. J. MARTIN. 



[From letters to Prof. S. F. Baircl.] 



In 1878, 1879, and 18S0 the vessels did well with cod-nets. Last year 

 they did hut very little with nets. The reason is that there were no 

 fish inshore. The result was the fishermen thought nets would never 

 be used again, and some sold their nets for drink and some let them rot. 

 Some who had nets in the last part of the winter took care of them. 

 This winter the tide has turned. Six weeks ago the haddock catchers 

 caught from 15,000 to 18,000 pounds of large codfish on the western 

 part of Cashe's in GO fathoms of water, and these fish came inshore to 

 spawn. When the spirling were here the boats went out on the rocky 

 spots of the fishing ground and caught some large codfish, say 200 

 pounds a day; but the spirling failed, and when the boats went out with 

 clams they caught no fish. Captain Gill three weeks ago went out and 

 set 8 old cod nets and caught 1,500 pounds of cod, but some of the 

 nets were so rotten that the fish went through them. Then he bought 

 12 nets from the Banks fishermen, and since that time he has landed 

 35,000 pounds of large cod. This is doing well when there is little or 

 no bait. At that time there was one boat from Gloucester and one 

 from Kockport ; to-day there are ten sail from Gloucester and two from 

 Eochport. All the nets that were in Gloucester have been bought up 

 and some new ones brought from Boston. The schooner Bising Star, 

 after fishing 10 days, has stocked $1,100. A boat with 3 men went out, 

 set 7 nets 4 miles from the shore, and came in this morning with 5,000 

 pounds large cod for one night's fishing. All the boats are doing well, 

 and much work will be done this winter with cod gill-nets. Cod sold 

 to-day at 3 cents a pound. The boat Morrill Boy has made $100 a man. 



Gloucester, Mass., December 6, 1882. 



The cod gill-net fishing has been a great success so far this winter. 

 There have been landed at Gloucester 180,000 pounds of large cod which 

 had been caught in nets. It is five weeks since they began to use nets. 

 There are 20 boats, large and small, fishing with nets, and 195 nets are 

 in use at present. A year ago all the'fish caught in nets were obtained 

 in Ipswich Bay, but this winter the greater part of the fish have been 

 caught off here on the rocky bottom. The fish are large, averaging 

 21 pounds. Seven-eights of those caught are males. There are two 

 vessels that have made $220 to a share. These cod bring a good price, 

 being sold at 3 cents a pound. 



Gloucester, Mass., December 20, 1882. 



The net fishermen have succeeded well in Boston Bay this winter. 

 Six hundred thousand pounds of fish caught in this bay have been landed 



