COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 25 



DEEP WATER FISHING OFF NEWPORT, 1912. 



With the exception of scup, which were very abundant, the "run" 

 of fish off Newport in the early summer of 1912 was considerably 

 below the average. Even the "trash-fish" — i. e., fish not marketable 

 except as bait — were few. The majority of the big scup traps, in 

 which the greater part of the fish named below were caught, were set 

 about April 25th. 



Scup. — Seven average sized fish from Point Judith on April 24, 

 constituted the first reported catch of scup in Rhode Island waters in 

 1912. As will be seen from the accompanying table this is two days 

 earlier than last year, but was an average date. One lone fish taken 

 April 25 from the West Passage of Narragansett Bay, and one April 

 27 from Coddington Cove, made up the early catches of stragglers. 

 May 1st the largest catch had increased to 6 barrels. About this 

 time a severe storm raised havoc with the traps, and when it had 

 calmed down sufficient to haul the traps about May 24, the run of 

 scup had begun. May 15, the shipments were limited to prevent 

 glutting the market. June 7, the run began to slacken and ended 

 about June 10. Some very large fish were caught. One was re- 

 ported to have weighed 17 pounds and measured 223^ inches. 



Mackerel. — The mackerel arrived on the Atlantic Coast in the 

 latter part of April, and as usual, were first located off Chincoteague, 

 Virginia. May 1, the fishing base had worked north to Atlantic 

 City. The first catch in Rhode Island waters consisted of four large 

 ones caught off Newport, May 3. A little over a fortnight later 

 (May 22), the first large shipment from Newport was made. From 

 this on the catches were variable, but wide spread. The best day was 

 June 12. 



Tinker Mackerel. The "tinker" mackerel first appeared about 

 June 10. 



The first barrel of butter fish was taken by John Suza on May 21st. 



4 



