12 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



NEW ENGLAND VESSEL FISHERIES. 



Statistics of the vessel fisheries centerint^ at Boston and Gloucester, 

 Mass., and Portland, Me., have been collected during the year by the 

 local agents and published promptly in monthly bulletins showing, 

 by species and fisning grounds, the quantities and values of fishery 

 products landed by American fishing vessels at these ports. Two 

 annual bulletins also have been issued, one showing the catch by 

 months and the other by fishing grounds. 



The fleet landing fishery products at these ports in 1916 included 

 512 sail, steam, and gasoline screw vessels. These vessels landed at 

 Boston 3,089 trips, aggregating 98,331,038 pounds of fish, valued at 

 $3,702,365; at Gloucester 2,864 trips, aggregating 66,680,548 pounds, 

 valued at $2,159,894; and at Portland 2,992 trips, aggregating 

 20,812,839 pounds, valued at $521,647. The total for the three 

 ports amounted to 8,945 trips, aggregating 185,824,425 pounds of 

 iresh and salted fish, having a value to the fishermen of $6,383,906. 

 No comparison with previous returns can be made for Portland, as 

 this is the first year the products landed at that port have been in- 

 cluded in these statistics. At Boston and Gloucester, as compared 

 with the previous year, there was a decrease of 1,291 trips and of 

 6,584,142 pounds in the quantity, but an increase of $1,124,342 in 

 the value of the fish landed. The catch of cod decreased 4,489,950 

 pounds, haddock 2,684,498 pounds, hake 4,258,410 pounds, cusk 

 1,085,389 pounds, halibut 947,234 pounds, and swordfish 483,345 

 pounds, but all of these species increased in value except hake, which 

 declined about 1 per cent. The mackerel catch increased 4,225,945 

 pounds, or 38.70 per cent in quantity, and $396,331, or 64.54 per cent 

 in value. There was also considerable increase in the quantity and 

 value of herring, poUock, and miscellaneous products. The catch 

 of Newfoundland herring decreased 26,715 pounds, or less than 1 

 per cent, in quantity, but increased $70,275, or 27.48 per cent, in 

 value. The catch of tilefish landed at Boston during the year 

 amounted to 873,142 pounds, having a value of $24,295. 



The following tables present in detail, by fishing grounds and by 

 months, the products of the vessel fisheries of Boston and Gloucester, 

 Mass., and Portland, Me., for the calendar year 1916. The weights 

 of fresh and salted fish given in these statistics represent the fish as 

 landed from the vessels, and the values are those received by the 

 fishermen. Tlie grades, or sizes, given for certain species are those 

 recognized in the trade. 



