BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 33 



Vol. VI, I¥o. 3. Washington, ». C. Feb. 1 8, 1886. 



9.— IVE^r EIVGI.AIVI> FISDERIEIS IIV SEPTEITIBEB, 1SS5. 



By W, A. TITILCOX. 



September is the beginning of the end of the season's work ; and the 

 Grand Banks, Greenland, and Iceland fishing vessels have most of them 

 returned, but the mackerel fleet will remain out a few weeks longer. 

 By the close of the month most of the small boats engaged in shore 

 fishing off the coast of Maine will have hauled up. 



During the past month the receipts of fish at Gloucester, as com- 

 pared with those of the corresponding month last year, show a gain of 

 649,500 pounds of halibut ; a falling off of 353,000 pounds of codfish, 

 69,402 pounds of other ground-fish, and 51,157 barrels of mackerel. 



The catch of codfish, for the number of vessels engaged, has been an 

 average one. The Grand Banks fleet returned with full fares. A less 

 number of vessels having been engaged accounts for the decrease in the 

 aggregate receipts. The mackerel fishery, which gave promise of a 

 large catch, shows a heavy falling off from August, as well as from the 

 corresponding month of last year. During the entire month the body 

 of mackerel appeared to be near shore around the rocks, making it 

 almost impossible to take them with seines, with which the catch is ex- 

 clusively made. The shore fleets, numbering from 250 to 300 sail, have 

 followed the fish from the Bay of Fuudy to Cape Ann, in nearly all cases 

 finding the fish near the rocks and shore. Every day seines were badly 

 torn and damaged, while the catch, if any, was light, disappointing, 

 and in most cases unprofitable. 



During the month from 12 to 15 vessels have remained in the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence, occasionally finding fish abundant, and at other times not 

 finding any. A fair catch, however, was made during the month. 



Swordfish have been more abundant than for years, the catch being 

 mostly taken in the Bay of Fundy and marketed at Boston. 



Alewives (glut herring) have continued remarkably abundant all 

 along the eastern coast, and mackerel seines have often been filled with 

 them, and the fish released. The only attempts to save these fish have 

 been by the small steamers and vessels engaged particularly in this 

 catch, selling the fish to the oil factories at Boothbay. Steamer Mabel 

 Bird, of Portland, reports having taken 3,000 barrels. 



Shore herring arrived earlier than usual, were of large size, fine qual- 

 ity, and for a few days very plentiful. On September 22d and 23d, 1,800 

 barrels were taken in nets set in Gloucester harbor. A storm on the 

 24th badly damaged the nets and drove the fish out. Along the eastern 

 Bull. U. S. F. G., 86 3 



