REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [128] 



was joined by a large number of vessels from the various fishing ports. 

 Later, as the vessels arrived from their trips to the codfish banks, many 

 were fitted out to engage in the mackerel fishery, and by the 1 st of August 

 the fishing was at its height, the fleet numbering 4GS sail, averaging a 

 trifle over 50 tons apiece. Of this number 343 were provided with purse- 

 seines for engaging in the off-shore fisheries, while 125 fished with hook 

 or net chiefly on the inshore grounds. The value of this fleet, including 

 the fishing gear and the outfits, reached $2,122,300, and 5,04:5 men were 

 employed. A little later in the season about 25 of the vessels pro- 

 ceeded to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in the hope of meeting with better 

 success; but few fish were seen, and the venture resulted disastrously to 

 a large majority of them, many failing to pay expenses, while a few re- 

 turned without having caught a fish. These vessels on their return at 

 once joined the home fleet, and meeting with good success, most of them 

 were enabled to make good the loss which they had previously sustained. 



About the 1st of July an unprecedentedly large body of mackerel 

 entered the Gulf of Maine, many of them visiting the shore- waters, en- 

 tering the various harbors and coves, where they remained for some weeks. 

 During their stay in these in-shore waters thousands of men and boys 

 engaged in their capture from small boats, and in many localities a ma- 

 jority of the male population participated in the fishery to a greater or 

 less extent. The pound-nets along the southern coast of New England 

 were peculiarly successful, while large quantities were taken in the traps 

 and weirs between Cape Cod and Penobscot Bay. Probably not less 

 than 10,000 people along various portions of the coast of Maine were en- 

 gaged in mackerel hooking during some portion of the season, though 

 many of them fished chiefly for pleasure, while others caught only limited 

 quantities for home supply. About 3,500 followed the business regularly 

 for some time, many of them realizing considerable profit from the work. 

 In Massachusetts a similar condition of affairs existed, and thousands of 

 persons engaged in the fishery from small boats to a greater or less ex- 

 tent, fully 2,000 fishing extensively for profit. 



Most of the fish taken by both the vessel and boat fishermen were of 

 uniform size and of excellent quality. Pew extremely large ones were 

 secured, while there was also a notable absence of "tinkers." Over 

 two-thirds of the catch were branded as "•twos," many of them going as 

 "extras." During the season, which lasted till the 1st of December, 

 nearly 132,000,000 pounds of mackerel were taken. Of this quantity the 

 Massachusetts fishermen caught 05,000,000 pounds, and those of Maine 

 secured 31,000,000 pounds, the bulk of the remainder being taken by the 

 citizens of New Hampshire and Connecticut. Over 75 per cent, of the 

 entire catch was salted, about 22,000,000 pounds were sold fresh for food, 

 nearly 5,000,000 pounds were used for canning, and the rest were sold 

 for bait or for fertilizing purposes. The value of the catch, as placed 

 upon the market, was $2,606,534. The following table shows in detail 

 the extent and value of the fishery for the United (States during the year: 



