418 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



32. Statement of Luce Brothers, East Lyme, Decernber 4, 1877. 



We have one steamer, 76 tous burden ; 9 sloops, 19 tons burden ; 4 

 crews of 12 men each. We employ 40 men in our mill. Seine, 150 fath- 

 oms long, 18 fathoms deep. We have taken 23,800,000 fish ; made 2,400 

 barrels of oil, or 103,200 gallons. 



33. Statement of Daniel T. Church, Tiverton, R. I., March 23, 1874. 



1. Menhaden. 



2. There is no fish so plenty in Narragansett Bay as menhaden if we 

 take several years as the standard ; but if we should take years as they 

 come, and name each year separately, it would be different. For in- 

 stance, during 1871, 1872, and 1873 scup appeared in Narragansett Bay 

 in immense quantities, and there is no doubt in my mind but that there 

 has been during the years named more of them than menhaden; but for 

 a number of years preceding scup were scarce. 



3. Menhaden has, on an average, been plenty in Narragansett Bay for 

 the last ten years. But for about ten years they were so scarce that 

 some of the fishermen lelt the business. It is my opinion that when 

 bluefish were plenty they destroyed such large quantities that there 

 was a vast diminution, and it was seriously feared that they were to 

 disappear; but since the bluefish have grown scarce menhaden have 

 grown plenty, and 1871, 1872, and 1873 have been great years in the 

 business for bluefish. Sharks and a large fish called horse-mackerel 

 have been for some unknown reason scarce. The horse-mackerel 

 spoken of does not frequent the waters of Narragansett Bay, but are 

 found east of Cape Cod. 



4. Taking for a basis of estimate that there are eight menhaden fac- 

 tories on Narragansett Bay that used 20,000 barrels each, it would make 

 the number of barrels caught during year 1873 about 100,000, and I 

 think the above estimate about right. 



5. We do not think that fishermen have any perceptible effect on men- 

 haden, for it is a fact well known that a few years back they were scarce 

 and it was generally conceded that the business was a failure, and some 

 left the business because of the scarcity, and fish-gear, such as boats and 

 seines, were sold for less than fifty cents on the dollar. But since then 

 they have been plenty, and the year 1S73 has been a year of surprise to 

 all, for the sea has been one blanket of menhaden from the Chesa[)eake 

 to the Bay of Fundy. 



Menhaden strike the coast not far from ths first of May, and there is 

 not many days' difference between their arrival on the coast of Virginia 

 or Maine. It is the opinion of those best informed that menhaden go 

 to sea in winter and come in during the spring, I once had a brother in 



