114 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



one banl of the seine in ISTew Haven Harbor.* Constant fisbiug on the 

 northern coast has driven the menhaden out to sea, though in the south 

 their habits are much the same as of old. In NewEngland the menha- 

 den fishery has become to a considerable extent sea-fishing, and is prose- 

 cuted on the grandest scale. 



Estimates of numbers of vessels mid fishermen hy collectors of customs. 



159. Under the statistics of manufacture will be found the statements 

 of the manufacturers in reference to the number of vessels and men 

 employed by them. It may not be out of place here to give a corre- 

 sponding estimate on the part of the collectors of customs and others in 

 connection with a general statement of the location and methods of the 

 fisheries. The manufacturers' enumeration excludes the vessels engaged 

 in catching the menhaden for bait, but is, as far as it goes, probably 

 more nearly correct than any other, the laws of registration being so lax 

 that many fishing- vessels do not appear upon the custom-house books. 



Fisheries of Maine. 



IGO. Mr. William H. Sargent estimates for the district of Castine, Me., 

 about 20 decked vessels and 150 open boats. The vessels range from 15 

 to 80 tons. The number of men employed (probably including the 

 factory hands) is about 425. 



For the district of Belfast, Mr. Marshall Davis estimated in 1873 about 

 25 vessels with 125 men. In 1877, according to the same authority, there 

 were about 100 boats owned by line fishermen, each of which uses from 

 three to six gill-nets. 



Mr. Benjamin F. Brightmau, collector of customs at Waldoborough, 

 Me., gives 54 gangs of 10 to 12 men each. This district includes the 

 \region between the Penobscot and Kennebec Elvers, where all the large 

 factories are located. The vessels in this region are steamers, schooners, 

 and sloops of from 20 to 100 tons. This estimate is for 1873 and refer- 

 ence to the report of the Maine Menhaden Oil and Guano Association for 

 the sauie year shows that these gangs include 55 vessels, 17 of which 

 were steamers and 533 men. The number of men for 1874 is 551. More 

 than half of these gangs are fitted out in Rhode Island. 



For the town of Booth Bay, in this district, Mr. G. B. Kenniston esti- 

 mates 21 gangs and 210 men. 



Mr. J. Washburn, jr., collector of the Portland, Me., district, gives an 

 aggregate of 110 vessels with 500 men, but this estimate evidently in- 

 cludes parts of other districts. 



*Mr. Arthur T. Nealo, of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, tells me 

 that ho has talked with one of the fishermen concerned in this famous haul. There 

 ■w^as no accurate account of the numbers and the catch was variously estimated at from 

 1,000,000 to 1,300,000. Numerous carts were employed for three days in carrying the 

 fish from the shore and finally a large part of the fish were allowed to escape. 



