BULLETIN OF THE UJl<riTED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 79 

 23.-IVKW E!VGI.AIV]> FISH^RIE^ii IIV FEBRI7ARV, 1S86. 



By W. A. WILCOX. 



During the first week in February the weather was unfavorable for 

 fishing, yet the few arrivals brought good fares. During the week the 

 schooner Carrie D. Allen, of Provincetowu, the only three-masted ves 

 sel in the mackerel fisheries, sailed for Lisbon, Portugal, having beeu 

 sold to parties there to engage in the Grand Banks cod fisheries. She 

 took out 2,950 quintals of codfish, 2,000 quintals of which came from 

 the Provinces, and 950 quintals were bought at Provincetowu. 



The codfish fleet fishing in Ipswich Bay number 17 sail of gill-uet- 

 ters and 30 sail of trawlers; and the catch has been of good size, aver- 

 aging 23 pounds each; one-third being female fish mostly with spawn. 

 The amount of codfish landed at Eockport and Portsmouth during the 

 first week by 17 sail of netters was 204,000 pounds; by 30 sail of trawlers, 

 000,000 pounds. A much smaller number are at present using gill-nets, 

 on account of the damage and losses by the severe storms of late, but 

 those that are using them are doing well. Cod and haddock are abun- 

 dant on George's Bank. All vessels from there bring in also a consider- 

 able amount of halibut. A large body of fine codfish is also found in 

 Ipswich Bay. A large fleet, mostly from Gloucester, has been engaged 

 in these fisheries, and the vessels have secured good fares quickly and 

 returned. 



On February 11, fifty-two sail, mostly from George's, arrived at 

 Boston with over 2,000,000 pounds of fresh cod and haddock. Seldom, 

 if ever, had as much fresh ground-fish arrived during 24 hours. With 

 the large receipts, prices fell from $2.50 to GO cents per 100. Twenty- 

 four sail also arrived at Gloucester from the same fishing-grounds, 

 lauding 700,000 pounds of salt codfish. The heaviest rain-storm for 

 years came about the middle of the month, over 6 inches falling during 

 48 hours. During the storm the schooner Lizzie H. Haskell, of Glouces- 

 ter, returning from a haddock trip on George's, went ashore on Plum 

 Island and soon went to pieces. The schooner Mary E. McDonald, 

 of the same port, returning from Fortune Bay with a cargo of frozen 

 herring, went ashore at Port Jolly, N. S., and soon filled and went to 

 pieces. With the many fishing vessels lost, it is seldom that one is re- 

 ported as lost by fire; but the record for this month shows one such, 

 the schooner Anna D. She sailed from Gloucester on February 17, the 

 next day arrived on George's, and while the crew were busy baiting 

 their trawls a fire broke out from the forecastle. As the crew were 

 unable to handle it, they soon took to their boats and were picked up 

 by the schooner Clytie, which was fishing near them.. 



The month closed with little safsfaction to the producers or dealers.. 



