BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 191 

 5S.— IVEAV ENOT.AIVD FISMERSE!^ BIV ITIAY, 18S<5. 



By W. A. IVILCOX. 



The mouth of May has been one of excitement and disconragement to 

 the New Eughmd fishermen and all interested in the fishing industry. 

 To those that for any reason desired or were obliged to visit British 

 provincial ports threats of seizure and trouble, doubts, and anxiety, 

 with a lack of knowledge as to just what rights they had, caused much 

 bother and vexation, resulting in the seizure of two vessels. 



Codfish had been very plentiful on the Western Bank, and vessels 

 returned from short trips with full fares. On George's Bank a fair 

 catch was made. A short distance off Cape Cod fish of good size and 

 quality have been abundant. In Ij)swich Bay the catch of codfish has 

 been more than an average one; the gill-nets were taken up and the 

 season ended on May 3, while last year it ended INIay 12. The total re- 

 ceipts of codfish at Gloucester from all the fishing grounds were slightly 

 less than for the corresponding mouth of last year. 



Halibut have been scarce. From the Grand and Western Banks 

 vessels arrived with less than half fares. The catch on George's Bank 

 was good, the fish being taken in deep water between George's and 

 Brown's Banks. More vessels have been engaged in the catch of hali- 

 but than last season, and the receipts show a small increase over those 

 of May, 1885. 



The mackerel catch south of Sandy Hook has proved a failure. The 

 demand for all kinds of fish has been very light, and prices lower than 

 for years. Mackerel have not been seen in any abundance. The spring 

 catch has been a failure and financial loss to nearly all engaged. Dur- 

 ing the month vessels have daily fitted away for the mackerel fishery, 

 230 sail being engaged at the close of the mouth. Most of the time the 

 market has been bare of fresh mackerel, and very few have been cured. 

 On May 1 and 2 a severe storm caused the loss of 17 seine-boats. At 

 the close of the month vessels are widel}^ scattered, a large number of 

 them being off Block Island. Many are returning to home ports to re- 

 tit, not having taken a single mackerel. The first few scattering mack- 

 erel caught in the weirs at Cape Cod were taken on May 6; last year it 

 was on May 4. The first catch made in Gloucester Harbor this year 

 was on May 18. On May 14 tlie first catch was made in the weirs on the 

 Nova Scotia shore; last year it was on May IS. The first arrival at 

 Gloucester with mackerel direct from the fishing grounds was on May 

 7, being a small lot of 40 barrels that sold for $4.50 a barrel. The weir 

 catch of mackerel at Monomoy and along Cape Cod has been a failure. 



Pollock, averaging 10 to 12 pounds each, have been taken in purse- 

 seines off Chatham, Mass.; but the receipts show a decrease from last 

 year. The Taunton Eiver catch of alewives and shad lias been of extra 

 large size and cjuality, with a large decrease in the amount taken as 



