162 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



NEW ENGLAND VESSEL FISHERIES 

 GENERAL STATISTICS 



The vessel fisheries centering at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., 

 and Portland, Me., were more productive in 1923 than in either of 

 the two previous years. There was an increase of 2.93 per cent in 

 the number of trips, and of 9.42 per cent in the quantity and 29 per 

 cent in the value of the products as compared with 1922. The 

 increase in the number of trips and in the quantity of the products 

 was all at Boston, but there was an increase m the value of the prod- 

 ucts at each of the three ports. The increase in the number of trips 

 at Boston was 16.42 per cent, with a decrease at Gloucester of 4.48 

 per cent, and at Portland of 11.92 per cent. At Boston the increase 

 m the products landed amounted to 16.97 per cent in quantity and 

 35.16 per cent in value; at Gloucester there was a decrease of 7.21 

 per cent in quantity, with an increase of 11.97 per cent in value; 

 and at Portland a decrease of 1.49 per cent in quantity, with an 

 increase of 11.73 per cent in value. Statistics of the fisheries have 

 been collected by the local agents and published in monthly bulletins, 

 showing by species and fishing grounds the quantities and values of 

 fishery products landed by American fishing vessels during the year 

 at these ports. Two annual bulletins have been issued, one showing 

 the catch by months and the other by fishing grounds. 



The fishing fleet at these ports dm-ing the calendar year 1923, 

 numbered 306 sail, steam, and gasoline vessels, including 33 steam 

 trawlers. These vessels landed at Boston 3,368 trips, aggregating 

 124,215,034 pounds offish, valued at $5,433,731; at Gloucester, 1,579 

 trips, aggregating 35,029,848 pounds, valued at $910,739; and at 

 Portland, 1,588 trips, aggregating 15,696,587 pounds, valued at 

 $706,684. The total for the three ports amounted to 6,535 trips, 

 aggregating 174,941,469 pounds of fresh and salted fish, having a 

 value to the fishermen of $7,051,154. 



Compared with the previous year there was an increase of 186 

 trips, or 2.93 per cent, in the total number landed at Boston, Glouces- 

 ter, and Portland, and an increase of 15,066,078 pounds, or 9.42 per 

 cent, in the quantity, and of $1,585,222, or 29 per cent, in the value 

 of the products landed. There was an increase in both the quantity 

 and value of cod, haddock, hake, cusk, and mackerel, and a decrease 

 in quantity with an increase in value of pollock, halibut, and sword- 

 fish. In the herring catch there was a decrease in both quantity 

 and value. The catch of cod increased 7,475,109 pounds, or 13.55 

 per cent, in quantity and $548,862, or 33.56 per cent, in value; 

 haddock increased 3,565,525 pounds, or 5.08 per cent, in quantity 

 and $613,777, or 33.92 per cent, in value; hake increased 963,530 

 pounds, or 17.93 per cent, in quantity and $31,036, or 27.88 per cent, 



3 value; cusk increased 750,756 pounds or 33.40 per cent in 

 quantity and $27,176, or 78.65 per cent in value; and niackerel 

 increased 6,838,481 pounds or 144.68 per cent in quantity and 

 $211,138 or 76.36 per cent in value. The catch of pollock decreased 

 292,759 pounds or 5.74 per cent in quantity and increased $34,183, 

 or 28.97 per cent, in value; halibut decreased 749,645 pounds, or 

 13.33 per cent, in quantity and increased $138,597, or 17.68 per cent, 

 in value; and swordfish decreased 826,329 pounds, or 25.18 per cent, 



