XVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
first mackerel were seen and caught in latitude 37° 30’, longitude 75° 35’. An im- 
mense body of fish, in large schools, was seen extending some 25 miles. The fish 
remained in this location up to April 20. A small catch was made, 25 miles north of 
where they were first seen, up to May 15. For a week during the middle of May 
quite a large body of fish was seen, and some good fares were secured in latitude 38° 
30’, longitude 74°, off Fenwick’s Inlet. The weather was unfavorable for fishing 
much of the time, the early catch smal), and the fishing followed at a loss. May 15, 
part of the fleet were off Block Island taking some mackerel, but no large body of 
fish was again seen off the United States coast until fall. The early catch was 
noticeable as being all large fish, and, as usual in the spring, of poor quality. The 
body of fish appear to have crossed the southern part of George’s Bank, and were 
next found off the Nova Scotia coast, between Cape Sable and Canso, mackerel having 
been caught there between May 25 and June 5, passing on into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 
being found June 15 off North Cape, Prince Edward’s Island. On July 8 they were 
found 15 miles N. by E. from North Cape, soon disappearing. From July 8 to August 1 
was the only time mackerel were found in abundance in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and 
not always during that time, yet vessels that were on the grounds 6f Orphan and 
Bradley Banks, and off Escumenac Point, had a fair catch. The fish were mostly 
taken from 10 to 25 miles from shore. 
The early catch came to acloseabruptly. Only the first arrivals secured fares, later 
arrivals spent weeks and months, taking very few if any fish. Vessels with a fair catch 
came home, selling their catch at the extremely low price of $4.50 a barrel, and at once 
returned in hopes of securing another fare of better fish and realizing more for them; 
in most cases they were disappointed, catching only a few barrels of fish. 
Returning from the disastrous trips to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the fleet cruised 
off the home shore, from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod, adding a small amount to 
the catch which was continued up to the middle of December. Quite a body of fine 
mackerel were off Block Island, and in Barnstable Bay as late as December; they 
seldom schooled, yet quite an amount was taken by small boats and net fishermen. 
The work of the season is remarkable for the scarcity of fish, they having been seen 
only occasionally in any amount either in American or provincial waters. The 
amount taken is the smallest since 1843, and with three exceptions, since 1818. The 
catch often shows great fluctuations, years of small production being followed by 
abundance. As late as 1883, the catch of Massachusetts was only 154,140 barrels, 
foliowed the next year by 304,938. The rapid and great advance in prices is notice- 
able, yet under the circumstances not remarkable. 
The American catch of mackerel for 1886. 






| 
State. : Apparatus, | Vessels. | Tonnage. | Crews. 
| 
IMGEBHCDUSOLUS econ a scm dulce aps aon VOSSEIS cosa e anne sae enteric es 220 | 16, 350. 69 3, 313 
IGMP alacv asset cel ues tered Weirs and traps <...cs2os26- 465-5. wont cos ce eee 243 
RAAB, cris adap's  ocf eee ace<sk «ne VBSNGIS on os ann ere ae aac 99| 5,944.36] 1,377 
DOME a Sysbubitewsosctssesssvawe Weirs 8nd traps... .6o i saceacee se) vceccecc| Geen see eeee el ae 
NGM ELBTSDITO > 6 occu accemeeedemnl NV OREGIS on cere ree na eae ee eeetes 4 186. 91 60 
POO OOUEIANG ews waes usecce snesse es Weirs'and traps) .2 2. scesece ee no) Lo ccnn ces] Conb eee eee 
ROOMNGG WOU Use satel eins uokuis'y nin smi DVICBRBIN cic cnughs Ap ae eee ce Pies wns 2 88. 13 19 
BN OBIS. tis sine Ramee)! avid sc wee in| ernie WOLcae ce wc seceneitremenemss 9 1 77. 00 17 
PPNURVIM ASS Css ceiencc sk skseska wal enamels MO esos Ace sane emery Cannes es 1 79.15 17 
ULL ete ena Sutaie a cakancee claescs tess ee daenets eee emueremeen's 327 | 22, 726. 24 5, 046 



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