BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 329 



with good fares, lauding 020,930 pounds more than during the corre- 

 sponding month of last year. 



Mackerel have continued scarce both off the United States and prov- 

 incial shores. The first of the month 75 sail of seiners from New England 

 ports were off Prince Edward Island, and 100 sail were scattered along 

 the New England coast. The fleet left Prince Edward Island the first 

 week in the mouth, most of them returning to home ports, some with 

 good fares, but most of them with only a small amount ; total receipts 

 of mackerel at all home ports from off provincial shores, 69 fares, with 

 12,421 barrels, an average of 180 barrels, which is not half a full fare. 

 After leaving the island a small fleet remained off Cape Breton all 

 the month. On October 11 and 23 they took a few hundred barrels of 

 mackerel, but most of the month vessels were detained in harbors by 

 strong winds and unfavorable weather for fishing ; seiners after return- 

 from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, hauled up, or joined the fleet off the 

 Xew England coast. Mackerel were found off the Massachusetts coast, 

 mostly in Barnstable Bay, and off Block Island, all the month, seldom 

 in any great quantities. The fish were of mixed sizes, a good propor- 

 tion large, and quality fine. 



On October 20 mackerel were very plentiful off Sandwich, Mass., 26 

 sail arriving in Boston the next day, with small fares, aggregating 826 

 barrels of fresh mackerel and 113 barrels of sea-packed, the fish being of 

 mixed sizes. These fish were mostly taken in the night, the seine being 

 thrown around the vessel ; after being pursed up, the vessel is sailed out 

 of the seine, passing over the cork-line, and the fish removed. Some- 

 times bait is thrown to call the fish alongside of the vessel, and then 

 vessel and fish are quickly surrounded by the seine. 



An immense body of small herring during a large part of the month 

 was in the neighborhood of Gay Head, Vineyard Sound. Mackerel 

 were mixed with them, and a few vessels had a fair catch hooking the 

 mackerel, the size being mostly large and quality fine. 



Owing to the scarcity of the fish, prices of mackerel have steadily ad- 

 vanced from $13.50 a barrel, sea-packed, for oSTorth Bay catch, at the 

 first of the mouth, to $10 at the close ; extra large and fine mackerel 

 caught off the Xew England coast found quick sale at from $25 to $40 

 a barrel. The fishermen have been encouraged by the high prices to use 

 every exertion to take fish, more bait and hooks having been used than 

 for several years. 



Three vessels on long mackerel trips did not take seines, depending on 

 the hook andline, the first time for years; they report as follows : Schoon- 

 ers M. L. Wetherell and William Y. Hutchins sailed from Gloucester 

 to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, going as far as the Magdalen Islands, 

 spending the entire season, and catching only 42 and 33 barrels of 

 mackerel, respectively; schooner Maria Webster, of Wellfleet, used 

 hooks exclusively, for two months' fishing only, off the Massachusetts 

 and Bhode Island shores, taking 101 barrels of fine mackerel. 



The great falling off in the mackerel catch is of interest. Total amount 



