BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 17 



for thirty-five years. The half-sized herring came first, then the large 

 ones. Yesterday schooner Northern Eagle seined GO barrels at the 

 month of the harbor. They were schooling a distance of 20 miles yes- 

 terday northeast and southwest. The herring are very large. Thero 

 are four vessels with seines after herring. The George's vessels are 

 doing better since the fresh herring have come. I told George he had 

 better take his seine and try to seine some herring. He did so, and 

 sold $430 worth in three days. It appears that all kinds of fish are in- 

 shore. The mackerel are close to the shore. Vessels went out of New 

 York Saturday and returned Monday morning with 150 barrels of 

 mackerel — so they are close to the shore. Twenty-four thousand pounds 

 of large cod were caught last week in 7 fathoms of water off New- 

 buryport Bar. Haddock have been caught within one-fourth of a mile 

 from the shore in large numbers. Whales are close to the shore. I 

 will tell you about the water : The last day of April the water was 50 ; 

 the first day of May it was 4G. This is the third time I have seen it 

 work the same way. It happens on a high course of tides. 



Fresh fish are low. Halibut sold yesterday at 5 cents per pound. 

 Haddock sold at 90 cents per hundred pounds and fresh cod at one and 

 one-half cents per pound. 



Gloucester, Mass., May 7, 1882. 



During the past week there have been 36 arrivals from George's, aver- 

 aging 18,000 pounds per vessel. Eight sail arrived from Western Bank, 

 averaging 60,000 pounds to a vessel ; four sail with fresh halibut, aver- 

 aging each 45,000 pounds ; twenty-two sail from shore-fishing, averag- 

 ing 12,000 pounds to a vessel; 12,000 pounds have been landed by the 

 small boats. Three hundred and thirty-five barrels of herring have 

 been caught and sold here during the last week. Most of the herring 

 sold at $3 per barrel to the fishermen for bait. Fresh halibut are low; 

 they sold by the cargo yesterday at 4 J cents per pound. The price of 

 all other fish is the same as last week. The seining of herring is a new 

 branch of the business, in which there are four vessels engaged when 

 there is a chance. I thought the storm would drive them off, but it did 

 not seem to. The men went down to their nets this morning and ob- 

 tained one-half barrel to the net. The weather has been very bad here 

 since Wednesday, the wind northeast blowing a gale. There is a heavy 

 sea on the coast. A large fleet of vessels is in the harbor waiting for a 

 chance to go out. 



One salmon and one mackerel were caught in the trap at Kettle Island, 

 Gloucester Harbor, yesterday. The salmon weighed 9 pounds and sold 

 at 50 cents a pound. 



Gloucester, Mass., May 14, 1882. 



More fish were landed at Gloucester last week than any other during 

 this season. There have been 53 arrivals from the fishing grounds — 11 

 sail from Western Bank, with good fares ; 28 sail from George's, with 

 Bull. U. S. F. O., 82 2 Am^. 31, 1883. 



