50 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



In 1880 the yield of all flatfish except halibut in the Massachusetts 

 fisheries was 571,470 pounds, for which the fishermen received $8,572. 

 Nine years later the product had risen to 957,773 pounds, worth 

 $20,966. In 1905 the fishermen marketed about 4,000,000 pounds, for 

 which they received over $97,800, while in 1908 they are credited with 

 over 7,000,000 pounds, valued at $146,000. The bulk of the flatfish 

 consists of the winter flounder, and the most important fishery now 

 is that conducted on Cape Cod with beam and otter trawls, which 

 apparatus have been chiefly responsible for the recent development of 

 the fishery. 



The practical bearings of flatfish hatching have been specially 

 noteworthy on the southern side of Cape Cod in waters that are 

 directly influenced by the work of the Woods Hole station, from 

 which an average of 150,000,000 flatfish have been planted annually 

 during the past 10 years. For several seasons prior to 1908 there had 

 been a limited hand-line fishery for winter flounders at Hyannis. The 

 increasing abundance of fish in that vicinity resulted in the introduc- 

 tion of power boats equijDped with beam trawls, and their success 

 was so great that the fleet was rapidly augmented and the fishery 

 has now been extended to Falmouth, a few miles from Woods Hole. 

 Previous to 1908 from 6 to 12 small boats employing hand lines made 

 an aggregate annual catch of 200 to 300 barrels. With the intro- 

 duction of beam trawls, more than 125 men have gone into the busi- 

 ness in Hyannis and Falmouth, and in the season of 1910-11 they 

 caught and marketed 11,500 barrels (over 2,575,000 pounds) of winter 

 flounder, receiving therefor the sum of $57,500. 



The existence of this fishery, its rapid growth, and its increasing 

 importance are generally regarded as evidence of the hatchery work. 



NEWFOUNDLAND HERRING FISHERY. 



The herring fishery carried on by American vessels on the west 

 coast of Newfoundland during the season of 1910-11 was con- 

 ducted in the usual manner from the middle of October to the 20th 

 of January. The fleet included 71 vessels, one of which was lost 

 on the home passage with all on board. In addition to these 3 

 Canadian vessels were chartered to bring cargoes of herring. Second 

 trips were made by 18 vessels, few, if any, of which secured full car- 

 goes. One vessel on the second trip returned without any cargo, and 

 one, failing to secure herring, loaded with salted cod. 



In the early part of the season herring were more plentiful at 

 Bonne Bay than at Bay of Islands, but were small in size compared 

 to those usually taken at Bay of Islands, The greater part of the 

 catch, however, was obtained at Bay of Islands, although herring 

 were not abundant there at any time during the season. This fact, 

 together with the prevalent stormy weather, reduced the catch far 



