BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 273 



NOTES <K\ THE MOVEMENTS, HABITS, AND CAPTURES OF MACK- 



EKEL FOR THE SEASON OF 1882. 



By CAPT. J. W. COLLINS. 



The mackerel fishery ranks among the most important of our great 

 food-fisheries, and in some respects — especially that of international 

 consequence — it takes precedence of all others. Nearly all of the claim 

 made by the Canadian Government against the United States at Hali- 

 fax, in 1877, was based upon the supposed advantage derived by Ainer- 

 can fishermen from having the privilege of catching mackerel in British 

 waters. And for this concession our government paid $5,500,000. In 

 view of this fact, therefore, it seems desirable that some record should 

 be kept of the most interesting and strongly -marked features of the 

 mackerel fishery, especially of the movements and habits of the fish, so 

 far as these can be ascertained. If this is done from year to year, we 

 shall soon be in possession of much information on a subject concerning 

 which somewhat indefinite ideas have prevailed in the past. With this 

 object in view these notes are presented. The}" have been gathered 

 from various sources, but chiefly from some of the most reliable and 

 intelligent men engaged in the mackerel fishery, with whom I had an 

 opportunity of conversing during my stay at Gloucester the past sum- 

 mer and autumn (1882). 



The mackerel appeared at the usual time off the coast of the Middle 

 States, and in about the same locality in which they have generally 

 been found in early spring. The first fare of fresh mackerel for this 

 season was brought to New York on April 1, by the schooner Nellie N. 

 Rowe, which, according to Mr. W. A. AVilcox, secretary of the Boston 

 Fish Bureau, had taken 50 barrels of large-sized fish, averaging 11 to* 

 15 inches each in length. The first catches were made between the 

 parallels of 36° and 39° north latitude, and the meridians of 72° and 

 75° west longitude.* 



* The following list of the early catches of mackerel on the southern coast from 1878 

 to 1881, inclusive, taken from the History of the Mackerel Fishery, will show with 

 much exactitude and clearness wheu and where these fish are first met with as they 

 approach the coast in the spring : 



EAKLY CATCHES OF MACKEREL, 1878 TO 1881. 



The earliest catches of the past three years are shown in the following notes : 



EARLY CATCHES OF MACKEREL IN 1878. 



March 30. — Schooner Lillian, of Noank, Conn., Captain Latham, off Chincoteague. 



April 16. — Schooner Sarah M. Jacobs, of Gloucester, Capt. Solomon Jacobs, caught 

 her first mackerel in latitude 36° 10' N., longitude 74° 45' W. 



April 18. — Schooner Alice, of Swan's Island, Me., Capt. Hanson B. Joyce, master ; 

 caught her first mackerel 25 miles southeast from Cape May. 



Bull. U. S. F. C, 82 18 April 19, 1883. 



