[339] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 429 



1879. — Fall fishery of cape cod bay. 



Mackerel were abundant in Provincetowii Harbor on November 22, 

 1879; one boat caught 1,400 in set-nets. — (J. H. Blake, Cambridge, 

 Mass.) 



1879. — Shore fishery in cape cod bay. 



A large school of mackerel came into our bay last week, and many of 

 the vessels get good hauls with their seines, from 120 to 160 barrels ; 

 besides that, some of the hook fishermen got from 10 to 30 barrels. 

 They were caught along the Plymouth shore, and from that northward 

 close in to the land. For some days past the wind has been blowing 

 too strong for fishing. A few mackerel are being taken here in gill-nets 

 by our shore fishermen. Some of the fishermen that set bluefish nets 

 got from 60 to 90 large fat bluefish to a man. — (Letter of l!^. E. Atwood, 

 October 27, 1879.) 



Notes on the shore mackerel fishery of 1878. 



Tlie first mackerel of the season. — Three iceelcs earlier than last year. — 

 The schooner "Lillian" arrived at Lewes on Friday, from a southern 

 mackerel cruise, with ten barrels of fresh mackerel, the first of the sea- 

 son. They found a ready sale at 20 cents each for large, 15 cents for 

 medium, and 10 cents for tinkers. The first arrival last year was the 

 schooner "Seth Stockbridge" of this port, April 25, with 35,000 in num- 

 ber. 



The "Lillian" belongs in Noank, Conn., a small port near New Lon- 

 don, and sailed March 12th. She reports seeing a good many tinkers, 

 but there was a rough sea and high winds at the time. The mackerel 

 caught by the "Lillian" were mostly small and were sent to New York 

 from Lewes, Del., by steamer, in water. There have been no other re- 

 ceipts at New York or elsewhere so far as reported. — (Cape Ann Bulle- 

 tin, April 6. 1878.) 



The mackerel fishery. — The early appearance of mackerel this 

 season, and the fact that they are already of quite good size and quality, 

 give promise of a successful shore catch, but it is already evident that 

 prices must rule low in order to comi)ete with the present low prices of 

 all sorts of provisions. Last year the first receipts of fresh mackerel 

 were April 25, and the first receipts of salt mackerel May 4. This year 

 there were fresh mackerel on the New York market April 5, a few being 

 taken oft' the Delaware coast and forwarded by steamer, and the first fare 

 received arrived on the 12th, quickly followed by others, so that within 

 a day or two there were two thousand "wash-barrels" on the market. 

 The first receipt of new salt mackerel this season was April 22d, and 

 during the [last] week 500 barrels were landed at New York, 450 at Har- 

 wich, and about 25 at Boston.— (Cape Ann Advertiser, May 3, 1878.) 



New fishing enterprise.— The schooner "Notice," of this port, 

 owned in part and commanded by Capt. Knud Markurson, cleared on 



