BULLETIN OF TIIE UNITED PTATES FISH COMMISSION. 1G5 



and halibut seemed to have almost entirely disappeared, very few being 

 caught. 



New vessels and prospects. — The record of the past year may 

 be given as anything but favorable or encouraging for the future. It 

 may appear strange and certainly unfortunate that a year of unusual 

 abundance and large productions should financially be one of very little, 

 if any, profit, and in many cases of losses. This is accounted for from 

 many causes — a general depression in trade and consequent shrinkage 

 in values, large productions of the leading fisheries, inferior size and 

 quality of the mackerel catch, and the importation of foreign fish free 

 of duty. With all of these drawbacks and discouragements, a ray of 

 light is seen in the near termination of the Washington treaty and 

 hopes of some protection iu the future, as well as of better prices and 

 quality in the catch of 1885. 



The number of vesseks fishing on the Grand Banks will be less than 

 last year; the near-home and mackerel fleets will probably be somewhat 

 larger. 



Quite an addition of new vessels will be added to the fleet. Essex, 

 Mass., has lauuched four, and now has ten more on the slocks that will 

 soon be engaged in the fisheries. Other eastern ports will also furnish 

 a number of new vessels for the fisheries. 



The number of vessels from Gloucester engaged in the fisheries March 

 31, 1885, is as follows : 



Sail. 



George's Bank, cod and halibut 103 



Shore, cod 32 



Bank, cod and halibut 47 



Bank, halibut 30 



Mackerel 83 



Total : 295 



All of the above are actively engaged, the bank fleet fishing on the 

 Grand and Western Banks. 



April will find large additions to the above and the full fleets in 

 operation, courageously looking forward for better times and a more 

 prosperous season. 



Table I. — Fish receipts at Gloucester during January, February, and March. 



