WALLEM ON AMERICAN FISHERIES. 77 



I. 



THE FEESH-FISH TRADE. 



The exhibits of the different countries represented had greater or 

 smaller divisions for their fishery-industry. In the matter of implements 

 there was something, but in the line of products there was much to see. 

 The American division was richest in the first-named respect, while their 

 products were not present in great variety in the exhibition itself, but 

 in the fish-markets. As the products in many respects give the Amer- 

 ican fisheries a peculiar character and well merit the serious attention 

 of other nations, I set myself as a special task to examine this matter. 

 I adopt therefore as a suitable introduction for my report the fresh-fish 

 traffic. 



By the distinguished favor of the Norwegian juror. Consul Joakim 

 Anderssen, I was introduced to some of the more prominent business 

 men in this branch, and in company with him I went through Fulton Mar- 

 ket, New York, where an important trade in fresh fish is carried on, and 

 in whose market-building they have their local association, assembly- 

 room, library, &c. Later we continued our examination in Gloucester 

 and Boston until the consul's return home in August, after which I 

 alone went to sea in a fishing- vessel and followed mackerel-catching for 

 two weeks, to become acquainted with its practical working. 



I shall not now undertake to mention the fish-merchants' association, 

 its organization, with prices-current, &c., but immediately proceed to 

 the business itself in Fulton Market, in New York City. 



Fresh fish are sold here from stands, not boats or ships, and are said 

 to be used at all seasons of the year with ice, to keep them fresh as long 

 as possible. I visited the place the first time in August, in very warm 

 weather; the last time I was there was in February. Then the streets 

 were covered with some feet of snow and ice. Both times the fish were 

 partly hard frozen, partly packed in ice. • No fish were sold living; the 

 only approach to living " fish " were the large turtles, which are brought 

 in by steamers from^the West Indian and Florida coasts. The retailers 

 were not " fish-wives," but young meuj merchants' clerks. 



The number of kinds of fish offered for sale was great, and the prices 

 at different times of the year varied greatly, without, however, fluctu- 

 ating much from one day to another. 



Here merchants of moderately large capital carry on the traffic, part 

 of whom have their own fishing- vessels, giving the business a character 

 something like the Norwegian trade in salted and dried fish and herring; 

 I mean that it is free from the mean and dirty market traffic which one 

 as a rule associates with the sale of fresh fish. The retailers in Fulton 

 Market have, in part, marble counters, neatly-arranged stands, a private 

 office where the owner of the stand may note his sales. The large mer- 

 chants exercise supertision, and the young attendants, dressed in long 



