FISHERY INDUSTPJES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1921. 51 



the remainder, including 200,000 pounds, fresh, frozen, valued at 

 $10,000, and 351,400 pounds, salted, valued at S9,584, were New- 

 foundland herring. 



OTTER-TRAWL FISHERY. 



The use of the otter trawl in the New England vessel fisheries began 

 with one steamer at Boston in 1905 and nas gradually grown to a 

 fishery of considerable importance. In 1912 there were six specially 

 constructed steamers owned and operated by a company at Boston 

 engaged in this fishery. An otter trawler from New York also 

 landed fish at Boston for several months that year. The catch 

 landed at Boston by these vessels in 1912 amounted to 15,025,150 

 pounds of fish, of which it is estimated that nearly 14,000,000 pounds 

 were haddock. The otter trawlers landed part of their catch of had- 

 dock at Portland, Me., for canning purposes. The fishing was con- 

 fined chiefly to Georges Bank and South Channel. Several trips were 

 also made to Western Bank. 



In 1913 three new steamers were added to the fleet, increasing the 

 number to nine, with one additional vessel from New York occa- 

 sionally landing at Boston. The number of trips made was 326 and 

 the quantity of fish landed at Boston was 14,366,283 pounds, taken 

 chiefly on Georges Bank and in South Channel. During the spring 

 months a number of trips were taken on Western Bank and part of 

 the catch was landed at Portland, Me. 



In 1914 the fishery was conducted on the same grounds as in the 

 previous year. The fleet consisted of nine vessels, in addition to 

 which two vessels from New York operated from Boston part of the 

 year. During the year several vessels began to land their fares reg- 

 ularly at Portland. The number of trips made by otter trawlers was 

 376, of which 64 were from Georges Bank, 272 from South Channel, 

 and 40 from Western Bank. The quantity of fish landed at Boston 

 by this fleet was 16,921,295 pounds, of which 14,832,950 pounds were 

 haddock. The quantity of fish landed at Portland was 5,830,603 

 poimds, a large part of which was taken on Western Bank during 

 the spring months. 



In 1915 this fishery was carried on by 12 steamers as in the previous 

 year. There were 380 trips landed, of which 105 were from Georges 

 Bank, 248 from South Chamiel, 26 from Western Bank, and 1 trip 

 from Browns Bank. Western Bank was resorted to in March, April, 

 and May, when haddock were less plentiful on Georges Bank and in 

 South Channel than during the winter months. The year's catch 

 taken by these vessels amounted to 21,116,300 pounds of fish, of 

 which 17,062,732 pounds were haddock. Of the total catch of haddock 

 39.38 per cent were scrod. With the exception of several trips 

 landed at Portland and an occasional trip at Gloucester, when there 

 was a glut of fresh haddock in the market, the fish caught by otter 

 trawlers were landed at Boston. 



In the years immediately following, especially during the war 

 period, there was considerable increase in the number of otter-trawl 

 vessels and also in the number of firms engaging in the otter-trawl 

 fishery. The reciprocal arrangement with Canada, permitting 

 Canadian vessels to land their fares at American ports direct from 

 the fishing grounds, also added a few otter-trawl vessels to the fleet 

 landing fish at Boston, Gloucester, and Portland. In 1919 the otter- 



