142 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



According to Feddersen (Eep. IT. S. F. C, 1873-5, p. 183), neither this 

 nor the discharge of oil into the ocean from factories on shore proved to 

 have any deleterious influence, the fish coming year after year even in 

 increasing abundance to localities infected as mentioned, while they were 

 just as likely to disappear capriciously and suddenly from waters where 

 no such complaiDts could be alleged; indeed, as stated on page 118, a 

 careful examination of the bottom of the sea, by means of the water 

 telescope failed to reveal a persistence of dead fish, the appointed 

 scavengers of the sea very soon removing them effectually. It was 

 only occasionally in the crevices of the rocks and apparently sheltered 

 from convenient approach that the dead herring or their skeletons were 

 known to remain even for a few weeks, subsequent examinations failing 

 to indicate the presence of any dead animal matter. 



H. — Eeview of the American fisheries. 



The time when a faithful presentation of this subject can be made 

 has not yet arrived, and its discussion must be deferred until an ex- 

 haustive canvass of the country has been made. As a slight contribu- 

 tion to the subject the following tables are given : 



Fishery products of Gloucester in 1876. 



Cod, 425,000 quintals $2, 295, 000 



Mackerel, 101,032 barrels 909,000 



Herring, 30,000 barrels 127, SCO 



Dry- fish, other than cod (pollock, cask, haddock, and hake, about equal 



• proportions), 40,000 quintals 120,000 



Shell-fish 10,000 



Fresh fish, 11,000,000 pounds 745, 000 



Fish oil (cod-liver nine-tenths at least), 275,000 gallons 132, 000 



Fish manure (herring), 8,000 tons 25, 000 



Miscellaneous 10, 000 



Smoked halibut (three-fourths made from catch of " fresh " vessels), 



2,750,000 pounds 275,000 



4, 648, 500 

 40 per cent, of Hitching from halibut. 

 405,000 quintals, pickle-cured. 



The following table shows the value and extent of the fishing busi- 

 ness of the port of Gloucester for the year 1875 : 



Bank codfish, 177,473 quintals $998, 628 



George's codfish, 185,758 quintals 1, 021, 669 



George's halibut, 2,462,364 pounds 172, 365 



Bank halibut, 7,248,423 pounds 507,389 



Hake, 4,257 quintals -. 12, 774 



disk, 2,349 quintals 7,047 



Pollock, 9,417 quintals 32, 964 



Herring, 38,292 barrels 153.168 



Shore fisheries, the work of dory fishermen : 



Fresh fish 89,738 



Cured 185,697 



Oil - 8,945 



