BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 91 



NOTES ON THE FISHERIES OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. 



By S. J. MARTIM. 



[Letters to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



The number of pounds of fish landed here during the month of May 

 was as follows: George's cod, 2,170,000 pounds; George's halibut, 

 57,200 pounds; Western Bank cod, 4,3S1,000 pounds ; Western Bank 

 halibut, 33,500 pounds; Grand Bank halibut, 492,000 pounds; shore fish, 

 7GS,000 pounds; herring, 625 barrels; salt mackerel, 1,430 barrels. The 

 shore fish consist of one-third cod, the balance pollock, hake, and had- 

 dock. The amount of Western Bank fish is the largest that ever was 

 landed in Goucester in one month. 



Gloucester, Mass., June 4, 1882. 



During the past week there were 35 arrivals from George's, with good 

 trips ; 11 from Western Bank, with good fares. The George's vessels 

 average 22,000 pounds to a vessel. The Western Bank vessels average 

 40,000 pounds to a vessel. There have been 12 sail from shore fisbing; 

 20 sail with small trips of salt mackerel ; one vessel with fresh halibut. 

 The fishermen are all doing well. Fish of all kinds are high. 



Gloucester, Mass., June 11, 1SS2. 



Mackerel are plentiful. The vessels catch them from Roman's Land, 

 40 miles S. E. down to Mount Desert, and thence the whole length of 

 the Nova Scotian coast as far as Cape Canso. There are no mackerel 

 inshore. Last year at this time there were plenty of mackerel inshore, 

 this side of Cape Cod. One vessel arrived last night with 320 barrels 

 from Noman's Land. One vessel arrived from Mount Desert with 270 

 barrels, 30 miles S. E. from Mount Desert Bock. The farther east the 

 better the mackerel. The mackerel caught off Noman's Land are 

 small. Mackerel are low to-day — 85 per barrel, including the barrel. 

 All the mackerel are sold out of pickle. A fortnight ago, when the first 

 mackerel came along, there were some large shad mixed with them, and 

 some small ones which the fishermen call "smutty-nosed shad," about 

 the size of alewives. The others were large, weighing from 4 to 5 

 pounds. Some were caught with drag-nets, and some with seines, some 

 of them being taken 8 miles from Cape Cod and some in Ipswich Bay. 

 Six salmon have been caught in traps from Kettle Island to Portsmouth. 

 The Western Bank vessels are bringing in good fares of codfish. The 

 dogfish have struck all along tbe coast in large schools (driving the shore 

 fishermen off the ground), in such large numbers that the trawls could 

 not be used, as the fish eat them to pieces. One vessel belonging to 

 Marblehead is fitting out to catch them. 



Gloucester, Mass., June 22, 18-32. 



