REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 63 
The first swordfish landed at Boston in 1915 was on June 21 by two 
vessels, one having 26 and the other 33 fish, for which the fishermen 
received 15 and 20 cents a pound. From June 23 to the end of the 
month 344 fish were brought in, the catch of seven vessels. The first 
swordfish landed last season was on June 15. 
THE NEW ENGLAND WINTER GILL-NET FISHERY. 
Thirty-eight vessels were employed in the winter gill-net fishery 
at Gloucester, and there was also a small fleet that fished out of 
Portland, Me. In the early part of the season the catch was mainly 
cod and pollock, chiefly the latter spectes, and few haddock were 
taken until the latter part of March. Owing to the general scarcity 
of fish on the inshore grounds only a few vessels were successful, 
and early in May many vessels of the fleet had transferred to the 
mackerel fishery. 
NEWFOUNDLAND SEAL AND HERRING FISHERIES. 
During March and April the schooner John R. Bradley of Glouces- 
ter was engaged in taking seals off the coast of Newfoundland, 
which is believed to be the first American vessel to take part in this 
fishery. Her catch amounted to only 235 skins. The Newfoundland 
fleet, consisting of about.20 steamers and a few sailing vessels, also 
met with poor success. 
The Newfoundland herring landed at Boston, Gloucester, and 
other New England ports during the season of 1914-15 amounted 
to approximately 2,570,352 pounds fresh frozen, and 49,166 barrels, 
or 11,071,584 pounds, salted. The fleet bringing in these fish in- 
cluded about 27 American and 15 Canadian vessels. 
FRESH-WATER MUSSEL FISHERY, 
In the course of the general canvass of the fresh-water mussel 
fishery which has been in progress for several years, the streams 
covered in 1914 were those tributary to the Great Lakes and the Ohio 
and Mississippi Rivers north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi, 
except tributaries of the Ohio River in Ohio, which were included 
in the work of the previous year. The data collected were for the 
calendar year 1913, and the details of the industry are shown by 
streams in the accompanying table. The number of persons en- 
gaged in taking mussels in the streams under consideration and in 
preparing them for market was 3,592, and the investment in boats, 
fishing apparatus, and shore and accessory property amounted to 
$166,855. The output included 23,317 tons of shells, valued at 
$382,210, and pearls worth $164,261 found in the mussels, a total of 
$546,471. The shells are used in the manufacture of pearl buttons. 
The principal fishing apparatus employed in this fishery is the crow- 
foot bar. The most important stream in the region canvassed is 
Rock River, the output of which in shells and pearls was worth 
$150,696. The [llinois River ranks next in importance, with a yield 
of shells and pearls valued at $128,692. These two rivers furnished 
over 51 per cent of the total product. 
