XXVIII EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



with great ease in small boats all along the New England coast, and at 

 first was considered of veiy little value, fish weighing a hundred 

 pouuds and over beiug caught and thrown back into the water as 

 refuse, and classed in the same category with sharks, skates, and rays. 

 Within a comparatively few years, however, the halibut has appreciated 

 in value, and is now one of the principal objects of pursuit by the jSTew 

 England fishermen. The yield of this fish to Gloucester alone in 1879 

 amounted to over eleven millions of pounds. 



In later years it has been necessary to follow the halibut into deeper 

 and deeper waters, so that while twenty years ago it might be taken in 

 water of 10 to 50 fathoms, it is now seldom caught in less than 100 fathoms, 

 and deeper waters are gradually traversed up to 300 fathoms. The in- 

 creasing depth renders it constantly more difficult for the fishermen to 

 prosecute their labors, and makes it more important that new locali- 

 ties be discovered. 



An important result of the research herein proposed will be the re- 

 lease in a greater or less degree from that dependence upon Canadian 

 waters for fish and bait, for which the United States is now paying at 

 the rate of $800,000 a year for twelve years, extending from 1873 to- 

 1885. It is to be hoped that before the expiration of this period, and 

 the meeting of a new commission, we will be in a position to decline 

 any negotiations whatever for privileges much inferior in value to those 

 possessed on our coast without any question of interference on the part 

 of others. It is confidently believed that, in the discovery of new 

 fishing banks and grounds, at a comparatively moderate distance from 

 the coast, from Cape Cod to Florida, a large increase of the fishing 

 fleet may be looked for, and that vessels from the ports of Jackson- 

 ville, Fernandina, Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington, Norfolk, &c., 

 will find ample occupation throughout the year. That this will re- 

 sult in a great increase of the fishery marine is unquestionable; and 

 in the continued tliminution of the number and crews of merchant 

 vessels of the United States, the question of securing and maintain- 

 ing an ample sea-faring population, is one of no small moment to the 

 political economist. The magnitude of the present industry is shown 

 by the fact that the fishing fleet of Gloucester alone, consists of 385 

 vessels of above 5 tons, manned by 4,375 individuals, in large part 

 consisting of men from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. More south- 

 ern crews will probably be more or less entirely American in their 

 composition. The catch of these 385 vessels in 1880 is estimated at 

 129,020 barrels, or 25,924,000 pounds, of mackerel; 9,000,000 pounds of 

 halibut, and 57,758,000 of salt cod, or other salt fish — an aggregate of 

 92,082,000 pounds, and this exclusive of a large quantity of other fish 

 sold fresh. The total number of trips to secure the above-mentioned 

 quantity of fish consisted of 1,430 to the George's Banks, 249 to the 

 Grand and Western Banks for cod, and 201 to the same for halibut, a 

 total of 1,940 trips. The necessity of new grounds for halibut is shown 



