THE MACKEREL FISHERY BY AMERICAN VESSELS 

 IN THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE, 



In the 12 years from 1873 to 1884 inclusive. Compiled by David 

 W. Low, Gloucester, Mass., from reports made by the Col- 

 lector of Customs at Port Mulgrave, Nova Scotia, from 1873 

 to 1879 inclusive, and for subsequent 3 T ears from reports of the 

 Fish Bureau. Values are from average of actual sales. 





Num- 

 ber 

 of 

 Ves- 

 sels 

 in 

 Gulf. 



Their 



catch 



in 



sea- 

 packed 

 barrels. 



Shrinkage 



of 

 same 

 one- 

 eighth. 



Packed 

 barrels. 



Value per 



barrel 



when sold 



in 



United 



States, 



packing 



off. 



Value, when 



sold in 



United States 



of 



Mackerel 



caught 



within three 



mile limit. 



$268,508 



114,987 



53,785 



18,594 



27,072 



85,660 



£,977 



18,783 



1.326 



,710 



114,660 



65,520 



12 



yrs. 



1,162 



284,799 



$8.21 



$2335,909 



94,930 



$778,582 



Year- 



96; 



23,733 



$194,659 



7,910 



$64,882 



Per 



yes'l. 



245 



1.21 



$2,010 



82 



$673 



The value includes the extra labor of crews during the first five 

 years, making "mess mackerel" of some of the fish by soaking, 

 scraping, etc., thus increasing their 'value. The estimate of one- 

 third the catch being taken inside the three-mile limit is considered 

 a very liberal one. 



The unusually large number of vessels in 1878 was caused by false 

 reports and telegrams of great quantities of mackerel in the Gulf. 



The expenses of vessels and labor of men, catching, preparing 

 and curing the fish was much more than their value when sold in the 

 United States. American vessels in the Gulf mackerel fishery must 

 have an average catch of at least 400 barrels of mackerel, worth 

 $10 per barrel in the United States, to pay expenses of outfit, insur- 

 ance, depreciation of vessel, crews' share and master's commission. 



