BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 163 



made by gill-nets ; after that date nets and trawls were both used. The 

 history of the introduction of the gill-nets by the United States Fish Com- 

 mission has been published, and it only remains to add that yearly they 

 seem to grow iu favor, and well they may, the catch by them bein<j 

 larger and better fish than by trawls when used side by side, and the 

 saving of thousands of dollars for bait. It would be an interesting item 

 to know just how much has been saved in the purchase of bait since 

 the first use of gill-nets. We must be content by saying it is a large sum. 



The catch of the past winter shows a gain over that of the previous 

 year. During March the amount lauded at this port by 32 sail was 101,000 

 pounds of cod caught in gill-nets and 116,000 pounds of cod caught by 

 trawlers. Vessels averaged 6,000 pounds to a trip. 



The amount landed at Portsmouth and Rockport during March, all 

 made by gill-nets, was as follows : 



For the week ending — Pounds . 



March 7 84,000 



March 14 245 000 



March 21 230 000 



March 28 82,000 



Total , 641,000. 



Mackerel-fishery of 1885. — Of late years, each spring the mack- 

 erel fleet starts south for the spring catch at an earlier date than the 

 previous year. This year the first vessel to sail, the Mollie Adams, left 

 Gloucester March 4; others soon followed. April 1 finds 83 sail on the 

 ground from that port, and, including all other ports, 125 sail. 



The first to arrive with fish were schooners Nellie N. Kowe aud Emma 

 Brown. They arrived at New York March 30, with 200 aud 125 barrels 

 of fresh mackerel of mixed sizes, mostly small, caught ou March 26 

 and 27, 30 miles south of Cape Henry. Numerous other vessels ar- 

 rived the following week, mostly with small fares of from 50 to 150 bar- 

 rels each of fresh mackerel, of small size and inferior quality. 



The first fresh mackerel landed at New York in 1884 was on March 

 24, and in 1883 on March 31. 



As the season advances, the fleet will be increased to its usual size; a 

 number of new vessels being added, and by those at present engaged 

 in other branches of the fisheries. 



Frozen herring. — This branch of the fishery business is of value 

 as furnishing a cheap food to the masses, as well as supplying the win- 

 ter fleets engaged in the cod, haddock, and halibut fisheries with the 

 best of fresh bait. Bulletin Volume 4 of the United States Fish Com- 

 mission dates the first venture of a frozen-herring trip as the winter of 

 1853. Since that time it has grown to large size and importance ; each 

 year finds more vessels engaged and receipts proportionately larger. 



The Bay of Fundy and Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, are the great 

 centers of the catch, which is made by the native fishermen living in 



