REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 117 



The quantity of fish landed at Boston by American fishing vessels 

 was nearly 87,500,000 pounds, with a value of over $1,600,000. The 

 apparent inconsistency in the figures for Gloucester and Boston (the 

 larger receipts at the latter place having much less value) is explained 

 by the condition in which the fish were brought, a large percentage of 

 the Gloucester fish being salted, while practically the entire receipts at 

 Boston consisted of fresh fish. 



The aggregate quantity of ground fish, mackerel, and other fish 

 brought into Boston by American fishing vessels in 1894 was larger 

 than for any previous year. The growth of the market fisheries cen- 

 tering at Boston is one of the most noteworthy features of the Xew 

 England fisheries in recent years. The expansion of this branch has 

 been largely at the expense of the salt-fish business. The following 

 table shows the extent of the ground-fish trade during the six years 

 ending in 1894. The receipts in the last-named year are seen to have 

 exceeded by over 13,000,000 pounds those for 1892, the next highest 

 year, and to have been over 19,000,000 pounds more than the average 

 for the six vears. 



The number of trips of fish brought into Boston in 1894 was 4,537. 

 The arrivals from tlie grounds east of the sixty-sixth meridian num- 

 bered only 289, while 4,248 were from the grounds adjacent to the 'Sew 

 England coast, this being in marked contrast to Gloucester, where 

 more than one-fifth of the fares were from the far eastern grounds. 

 The number of trips from La Have Bank was 135, from Western Bank 

 86, from Cape Shore GG, and from Grand Bank only 1. Georges Bank, 

 Middle Bank, and Jeffreys Ledge each contributed between 500 and 

 600 fares. South Channel over 650 fares, and general shore grounds 

 over 800 trips. 



Of the fishes which enter into the fish trade of Boston the haddock is 

 preeminent. The quantity brought in during 1894 was over 39,500,000 

 pounds, valued at $640,000. The receipts exceeded those of the previ- 

 ous year by over 8,000,000 pounds. The quantity taken on Georges Bank 

 was over 13,000,000 pounds, and in South Channel nearly 10,000,000 

 pounds. The catch on these two grounds was 5,000,000 pounds greater 

 than in 1893. Of the remaining grounds the most important as regards 

 the haddock catch were Middle Bank, Jeffreys Ledge, Cashes Bank, 

 Browns Bank, and off Highland Light. 



Cod ranks next to haddock in importance. The receipts at Boston 

 were over 21,500,000 pounds, liaving a value of nearly $500,000. 



