200 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSIOif. 



«3 NEW EIVOIiAIVD FISHERIE.^ liV JtJlVE, 18S6. 



By W. A. WIJLCOX. 



During tbis nioiitli about the same number of vessels have been en- 

 gaged in the fisheries as in June, 1885. Owing to^he scarcity of mack- 

 erel, more vessels have followed cod and other ground fishing, and not 

 so many have engaged in catching mackerel. 



The receipts at Gloucester, which may be taken as a basis for the 

 catch by the entire New England fleet, show a large falling off from the 

 corresponding month of last year. Codfish show a decrease of 3,161,200 

 pounds. Eeceipts from all the fishing banks show a loss, but mostly 

 from George's and Brown's. 



Halibut have been very scarce on the Grand Banks, also on Western 

 Bank, vessels having returned with less than half fares. In the deep 

 water between George's and Brown's filsh have been abundant, and 

 good fares were secured, at times arriving in such abundance as to over- 

 stock the market, prices dropping as low as 3 cents a pound. The ag- 

 gregate receipts o^' halibut vary but little from those of June, 1885. 

 The vessels that went to Iceland for halibut have all been reported as 

 arriving on the fishing grounds, and the prospect was favorable for their 

 securii]g full fares. Schooner Mist was nineteen days on the way from 

 Gloucester to Iceland, and the schooner Mystery was only fifteen days. 

 The past winter was spoken of by the natives as very severe. 



Weirs along the Kew England coast have had a light and unprofit- 

 able catch of numerous varieties, consisting of herring, squid, mackerel, 

 and ground fish ; enough to' supply all demands for bait, with only a 

 small amount for the market. At Monomoy Point, south of Cape Cod, 

 the weirs were taken up the first of the month, the catch having been 

 the smallest for years, which is thought to have been caused by the 

 ])olluti<)n of the water by a guano factory near by. 



JVIackerel have not been seen in any abundance since early in the 

 spring. The fleet have (constantly sailed all over the usual fishing 

 grounds from Long Island Sound to the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia 

 shore, and Gulf of Saint Lawrence, without finding any body of mack- 

 erel. The first mackerel reported caught at Chaleurs Bay were taken 

 in traps on June 9, and a few barrels were taken off Prince Edward 

 Island on June 14. The total amount of salt mackerel landiMl during 

 llie niontli by the entire New England fleet was 2,445 barrels, against 

 (i,(»2() l)arr('ls in June, 1885, and Avas caught mostly in the vicinity of 

 lioseway Bank. 



On June 20 bonitos were seen iu largo quantities 50 miles south of 

 Block Island. On the same date white water was, for the first time in 

 several years, seen on Middle Bank. Squid have been very ])lentiful 

 on the fishing banks as well as close in shore. 



