XXVI REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Table estimating by jisheries the total number, tonnage, and value of New England vessels, 
with the number of men thereon, etc.—Continued. 







SUMMARY. 
State. No. Tons. | Value. a a 
aaa t = zit . 
A oe 567 | 18,850 | $940,000 | 3,720 
New Hampshire . See 20 600 | 30, 600 
Massachusetts... 1, 025 86,850 | 4,008,000 | 12, 540 
Rhode Island .... sae mee 64 | 1, 460 | 188, 000 396 
OMRON CNG sp ven uccenwaceececosey oie 280 7, 370 A76, 550 1, 220 
UNM ee ae ail Gam HIN is Haran a seam hep eeaaeneeoee 1,956 | 115,130 | 5,642,550 | 17, 996 

Question 6. “What change has, in your view, come to American fisheries since the 
last full year of the Washington treaty in regard to the character, quantity, and 
general features of that industry ?” 
There has been little change in the fisheries other than the mackerel fishery during 
the past year. In this fishery the scarcity of mackerel has been very marked and the 
catch has been much below that of the average year. The decrease, however, can be 
in no way attributed to the abrogation of the Treaty of Washington, but must rather 
be accounted for by natural causes which have affected the abundance, movements, 
and locality of the species. 
For several years prior to 1886 mackerel appeared in more than average quantities, 
and for eight or ten years, ending with 1885, they have been much more plentiful on 
our own coast than on any portion of that of British North America. For this reason 
the fleet of American mackerel vessels visiting waters in the vicinity of British terri- 
tory has of late been very smal]. In 1885, out of a total of about 380,000 barrels 
caught by our fleet, only 26,000 barrels, or less than 7 per cent., were taken in the 
vicinity of Canada, the quantity obtained within the 3-mile limit being only 3,564 
barrels. The fact that, during a season when permission had been given to allow 
American vessels to fish anywhere in the waters of British North America without 
restriction as to distance from shore, less than 1 per cent. of the catch of our mackerel 
fleet was secured within 3 miles of British territory, and that more than 93 per cent. 
of the total catch of mackerel was obtained in the vicinity of our own coast, is cer- 
tainly significant. 
During the present year mackerel have been peculiarly scarce in all localities, 
though for the first time in eight or ten years they have been more abundant in the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence than off the New England coast, and a large percentage of the 
American vessels employed in the fishery have visited that locality. The catch has, 
as arule, been unusually small, but the price has increased in proportion, so that the 
season for some of the vessels has not been wholly unprofitable. The limited catch 
can not in any way be accounted for by the restrictions placed upon our vessels within 
the 3-mile limit, for their catch, as previously stated, has been equal to that of the 
Canadian vessels that fished without restriction as to distance from the shore. 
The vessels engaged in the cod-fishery have met with more than average success. 
This is partially attributed to the fact that the squid, used for bait, have been very 
plenty during the summer and fall months on the fishing-grounds. It has not in- 
frequently occurred that vessels have sailed without any bait, depending upon the 
supply that they could catch on the Banks upwards of a hundred miles from shore. 
Question 7. ‘Your Gommission has, in its annual reports, alluded to the diminished 
necessity on the part of American fishermen to go to British North American ports 
or waters for bait. What are the new features of that necessity ?” 
A few years ago the United States Fish Commission obtained from Norway a num- 
ber of gill-nets suitable for catching codfish, and used them with success in the cod- 
fisheries about Gloucester, Mass. Similar nets are now made in this country, and are 
extensively employed by the shore cod-tishermen of that vicinity, who obtain large 
