BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 197 



48.— NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES IN JUNE, 1885. 



By W. A. WIL.COX. 



During the past month about all of the vessels following the fisheries 

 have been engaged in their work, and a number of new vessels have 

 been added to the fleets. The location of the fishing vessels at the end 

 of the month was as follows : 



316 sail, mackerel, scattered from No Man's Land, on the southwest, 

 along the New England shore and George's Bank ; 50 sail of the fleet 

 off the Nova Scotia shore as far east as Canso. 



133 sail, cod and halibut, on Grand Banks, longitude 49° to 54° 25', 

 latitude 43° 15' to 46° 35'. 



45 sail, cod and halibut, on Western Banks, longitude 59° 25' to §2° 

 30', latitude 42° 55' to 44° 30'. 



92 sail, cod and halibut, on Banquereau, longitude 57° 12' to 60°, lati- 

 tude 44° to 45°. 



175 sail, cod and halibut, on Brown's and George's Banks, in longi- 

 tude 65° 30' to 69°, latitude 41° to 43°. 



15 sail, codfish, off the Nova Scotia shore, in latitude 43° to 43° 25', 

 longitude 65°. 



225 sail, ground fishing, off the eastern shore of New England. 



11 sail, halibut, off the coast of Greenland and Iceland. 



6 steamers, taking whales off the New England coast. 



Total, 1,012 sail, 6 steamers. 



The general result of the work of the month has not been satisfac- 

 tory or profitable. Codfish have been abundant on George's and 

 Brown's Banks, over half the total receipts of the month having been 

 from there, mostly from the latter. During the latter part of the month, 

 from want of good bait, the catch was much reduced. The catch of 

 halibut on these banks has continued light. 



On the Grand Banks fish have been reported scarce. On June 7 

 and 8 a severe gale badly damaged a number of vessels, sending them 

 into St. John's, Newfoundland, for repairs, but no vessels or lives have 

 been reported lost from the New England fleet. On the Western 

 Banks codfish have been abundant and vessels arrived home with full 

 fares. The shore fleet in Massachusetts Bay have had a fair catch ; but 

 almost continualfog has much interfered with the catch to the eastward, 

 and vessels from there have come in with small fares. Mackerel, lately 

 so abundant, have been found only in small lots of from two to five 

 barrels, although vessels have.constantly cruised for them from Block 

 Island and George's Bank to the Bay of Fundy. Many vessels are 

 returning from the month's work empty, and others come back with 



