[137] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



they are neatly labeled as " fresh-broiled mackerel," and packed in 

 wooden cases for shipment. Mackerel prepared in this way are, on ac- 

 count of their delicate flavor, far superior to any of the brands of her- 

 ring, and from the first the demand has been greater than the supply. 

 Owing to the favor with which the goods were received Mr. Sellmann 

 soon found it desirable to locate a factory at some point where a large 

 and constant supply of fish could be depended upon. Accordingly, in 

 the spring of 1881 he associated with himself other capitalists, and built 

 a cannery at Gloucester, Mass., where considerable quantities of mack- 

 erel have been packed. Up to the close of the season no other factories 

 were built for the preparation of broiled mackerel, but it is thought that 

 in 1882 a good many persons will devote their attention to this industry. 

 In 1880 Mr. Sellmann packed 50,784 cans, valued at $10,400, and in 1881 

 the combined product of the Camden and Gloucester establishments was 

 about 200,000 cans. 



VI.— METHODS OF PACKING, AND INSPECTION 



LAWS. 



By A. Howard Clark. 



K.— METHODS OF PACKING AND INSPECTION LAWS. 



44. Methods of packing mackerel. 



The bulk of the catch of mackerel by the American fleet is cured in 

 pickle, being split, and salted in barrels. Some of the salt mackerel are 

 afterwards smoked, but this method of curing is practiced only in two or 

 three places, and here only to a very limited extent, though in parts of 

 Europe a large business is done in the smoked product. The European 

 way of preparing mackerel for salting is much inferior to the American 

 method. The fish are cut open with a knife along the belly, instead of 

 being split down the back. The gills and entrails are taken out, and the 

 fish are then packed, belly up, in barrels. This is a very poor way of 

 handling mackerel, for they are not soaked, and the blood remaining in 

 them makes them dark-colored and liable to spoil in a short time. 



In previous sections of this report the manner of handling mackerel 

 on board of the fishing- vessels has been fully described. Until about 

 the beginning of the present century the labor of splitting and salting 

 could be done on shore, since the fish were sufficiently abundant near 

 the land so that boats or vessels made but short trips, disposing of their 

 fares each day in a fresh condition. With the growth of the industry it 

 has been found necessary to follow the fish further from land, and with the 

 larger class of vessels employed it has for some years been more conven- 

 ient and profitable to make longer trips than formerly. It has, therefore, 

 become customaiy to perform much of the work of preserving the fish 

 on board the vessels instead of on shore. After being captured, the 



