60 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



arrivals from the Bay of Saint Lawrence with good fares. Schooner 

 Lizzie Center arrived yesterday with 320 barrels, making its catch since 

 July 1st an aggregate ot 1,055 barrels of salt mackerel. This vessel 

 claims to be "high line" of the Bay of Saint Lawrence fleet. All the 

 vessels report mackerel plenty when they left, but that they have had 

 no weather suitable to catch them. 



The mackerel went into the Bay of Saint Lawrence very late, which 

 was doubtless due to the fact that the ice did not leave the bay until 

 June 2, consequently the mackerel will be late coming out. No mack- 

 erel were caught in the bay until August. The mackerel caught there 

 this fall were large and fat. 



Schooner John S. McQuinn had a fare of 340 barrels packed, of which 

 300 barrels were No. 1 ; and the fares of the other vessels run about the 

 same. The schooner Spencer F. Baird left Gloucester September 2, 

 and arrived home November 6, with 360 barrels of No. 1 mackerel, hav- 

 ing lost 50 barrels overboard. The Bay mackerel sold yesterday at 

 $12.75 a barrel for the trip as they run. 



There have been no large mackerel caught on the Cape shore as yet, 

 though on November 4 some vessels caught small mackerel there about 

 the size of those which have appeared on this coast. I am of opinion 

 that no large mackerel will be caught on the Cape shore until the mid- 

 dle of this month. Vessels catch some small mackerel in Barnstable 

 Bay when the weather permits. No mackerel have been taken at Seven 

 Islands this vear. The mackerel season is nearing its close. 



6 



Gloucester, Mass., November 9, 1884. 



Squid and mackerel, — Squid are very plenty from Cape Cod to 

 Cape Breton Island. They are also very plenty on the Nova Scotia 

 shore. The mackerel fishers are being troubled by having their mackerel 

 devoured by squid before they can get them out of the nets. Captain 

 Martin, of the schooner Martha C, arrived home from North Bay last 

 night, and says that at Sidney he could dip them up with a dip net by 

 simply throwing a little bait overboard. The schooner Orient, Captain 

 Charles Lee, reports having seen off Halifax, in a boat that came along- 

 side, 280 heads and backbones of large mackerel from which the squid 

 had eaten all the flesh. The same difficulty is experienced all along the 

 New England coast. Boats from Gloucester have to remain outside 

 Eastern Point but an hour to catch all the squid they want for the day's 

 fishing. Even boys go out in the evening and get home at 9 o'clock 

 with from eight to ten buckets of squid to be used for bait. 



Mackerel. — Mackerel fishing is most over, and vessels fishing on 

 this shore having been all hauled up except a few market boats. These 

 oniii'ht a few small mackerel in Barnstable Bay yesterday. There are 

 a few small mackerel in the harbor. The North Bay fleet is fast arriv- 

 ing lrome, mostly with small fares. Captain Martin, of the schooner 

 Martha C, reports plenty of large mackerel schooling off Halifax, No- 



