MANUAL OF FISH-CULTURE. 211 



enemies. The presence of food is frequently shown by flocks of birds, 

 especially pbalaropes, which are called " mackerel geese." 



The principal food objects of the mackerel are small crustaceans; 

 copepods predominate, but shrimps of various kinds, young crabs, etc., 

 are also important. One of the surface-swimming copepods, known 

 as "red feed," "cayenne," etc., is a very favorite food; when mackerel 

 have been feeding freely on it, they spoil very quickly after being 

 caught, owing to their sides rotting or "burning." Fish constitute a 

 rather important part of the mackerel's diet; herring, anchovy, sand 

 launce, silversides, menhaden, and many other small fishes are eaten. 



Among fishes, sharks are, perhaps, the most destructive enemies; 

 mackerel sharks and dogfish are known to prey on the mackerel, 

 driving and scattering the schools. Other fish enemies are bluefish 

 and cod. Porpoises and whales are often seen feeding on the mackerel 

 schools. Large squids do great damage to small mackerel Among 

 birds, the gannet is especially destructive. 



THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



The mackerel is one of the best and most valuable food-fishes of the 

 Atlantic Ocean. It is the object of important fisheries in Norway, 

 Ireland, and Great Britain, and is extensively taken in the United 

 States and the British provinces of North America. The fishery is 

 prosecuted with vessels using purse seines, gill nets, and lines, much 

 the largest part of the catch being taken in seines. In the boat fishery, 

 lines and nets are employed. Stationary appliances, such as pound nets, 

 trap nets, and weirs, also secure considerable quantities of mackerel. 



In the United States the vessel fishery is carried on chiefly from 

 Gloucester, Mass. The vessels sail south in early spring and fall in 

 with tbe fish when they first appear off the coast of the Southern and 

 Middle States, the catch being landed fresh in New York and Philadel- 

 phia. The fleet next seeks the fish on the southern shore of Nova 

 Scotia and follows the school north to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

 During the summer some of the vessels enter the gulf, but most of 

 them cruise on the New England shore, where most of the fall fishing 

 is also done. Some ot the finest fishing vessels of the United States 

 are engaged in this fishery. In recent years the fleet has numbered 

 only 150 to 225 sail, but formerly nearly 1,000 vessels were at times 

 employed in this branch. 



The shore and boat fishing is carried on from New Jersey to Maine. 

 The fish thus caught are as a rule sold in a fresh condition. 



The fishery is much less productive than formerly, and during the 

 past ten years has not as a rule been profitable, although each year a 

 few vessels make good catches and yield very satisfactory returns, 

 owing to the high price of fish. The local fishing does not supply the 

 home demand, and large quantities of fresh and salt mackerel are 

 annuaSy imported from Norway, Ireland, and the British provinces. 



