68 FISHERIES OF THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



Alewives. — These fish, taken in ponds, brooks, and in and near the 

 mouths of rivers having an outlet to the sea, are caught in varying 

 quantities from year to year. Under favorable circumstances they 

 enter the streams in large numbers, while at other times they are 

 exceedingly scarce. The catch in 1905, including the fresh, salted, 

 and smoked product, amounted to 4,069,430 pounds, valued at 

 $49,102. The smoking of alewives engaged the attention of a few 

 individuals in Barnstable County, the c^uantity smoked being 75,000 

 pounds. 



Bluejish. — The catch of bluefish on the Massachusetts coast shows 

 a steady decline. In years past this species appeared regularly in 

 the spring in large quantities, but of late only sporadic schools are 

 seen. The quantity taken in 1905 was 100,930 pounds, valued at 

 $9,469. 



Cod. — The fishery for cod in Massachusetts shows a decrease in 

 yield when compared VNitli the catch of 1902. The total quantity 

 taken was 62,262,623 pounds, valued at $1,688,617. Of tliis 57,018,275 

 pounds was taken in the vessel fisheries, and 5,244,348 pounds in the 

 shore fisheries. 



('UsJc. — This is chiefly a vessel fishery, and the larger portion of the 

 catch is taken on Georges and Cashes banks, though at nearly all the 

 other banks visited some cusk are taken. In 1905 the catch amounted 

 to 7,456,198 pounds, valued at $113,956, an increase over 1902 of 

 4,562,891 pounds. 



Eels. — The catch of eels shows an increase over the returns for the 

 previous canvass. The catch in 1905 was 541,945 pounds, valued at 

 $31,041. 



Flounders. — The flounder catch is greater than it was in 1902. 

 The vessel catch increased 776,577 pounds, and a large increase is 

 also noted in the shore fisheries. The total catch was 4,043,683 

 pounds, valued at $97,823, a net increase of 1,448,016 pounds. More 

 than half of this was taken in Barnstable County by beam trawls. 



Haddock. — The catch of haddock was greater than that of any other 

 species taken in the fisheries of this state, amounting in 1905 to 

 67,053,961 pounds, valued at $1,069,104, of which 2,565,977 pounds 

 were taken in the shore fisheries. 



Hake. — The hake catch shows an increase of 6,343,013 pounds over 

 the catch of 1902, the total in 1905 being 20,700,967 pounds, valued 

 at $258,438. 



Halihut. — The most conspicuous decrease was in the catch of hali- 

 but. There has been a gradual decline, extending over a series of 

 years, until it became necessary to ship halibut from the Pacific 

 coast to supply the demand. In 1905 the catch was 3,513,001 

 pounds, valued at $218,232. 



