EEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP FISHERIES. 



30 



species were landed at Portland, Me. The mackerel season was the 

 poorest on record for both fresh and salted mackerel, the catch 

 amounting to only 19,950 barrels fresh and 3,395 barrels salted in 

 1910, against 46,439 barrels fresh and 17,542 barrels salted in 1909. 

 The quantity of mackerel landed at Boston during the year was 

 486,400 pounds fresh, valued at $48,737, and 31,000 pounds salted, 

 valued at $2,617, and at Gloucester 96,400 pounds fresh, valued at 

 $7,907, and 578,600 pounds salted, valued at $51,217. 



The catch of mackerel during the season of 1911, up to the 1st of 

 July, showed an increase over that of the previous year, due to the 

 success of the Cape Shore fleet, nearly all of which returned with 

 good trips and landed more fresh mackerel than for a number of 

 years past. The southern fleet of seiners was small and the catch 

 very light. The netters Avere, as a whole, unsuccessful. The fleet 

 comprised about the same number of vessels as in the previous year. 



The mackerel landed by both seiners and netters were practically 

 all large, only a few medium fish being taken. The fresh mackerel 

 sold at good prices, from 12 to 60 cents each, and the salted mackerel 

 from $13 to $15 a barrel. The first mackerel secured this season 

 were landed on May 1 by the schooner Victor, Capt. John McFar- 

 land, the fare consisting of 450 large fish caught 70 miles southeast 

 of Cape Henlopen. Capt. McFarland reported mackerel in small 

 schools and wild. The fishermen also saw large schools of mackerel 

 on the southern grounds this spring that could not be caught with 

 the seine. In past years when mackerel were abundant there was a 

 large body of medium mackerel oif the coast, but these fish have 

 been scarce in recent years. Following is the catch and value of 

 fresh and salted mackerel taken by the fleet from the beginning of 

 the season to the 1st of July each year from 1907 to 1911 : 



Statistics of the quantity and value of fishery products landed 

 at Boston and Gloucester by American fishing vessels during the 

 year, except those previously noted as not included in the monthly 

 and annual bulletins, are given in detail on the following pages. 



