REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [144] 



marks: Mackerel should be split as soon as possible, and, after the blood 

 has been soaked out of them, immediately salted with such salt as is 

 suitable for the pupose; my own opinion is in favor of Liverpool or 

 Cape Cod salt. It is necessary that it should dissolve as soon as possible. 

 Eastport salt, so called, must not be used; it will not save the fish; it 

 has proved destructive to fish and to meat. I have instructed my depu- 

 ties not to pack mackerel struck with that kind of salt. Mackerel should 

 be well salted in the first instance ; it is a mischievous error that fisher- 

 men have fallen into by salting their fish too slack, as has often been the 

 case; and another by using the plough, which has given to the fish a 

 false appearance, and has been a source of mortification to the fishermen ; 

 and they have in a great many instances found fault with the inspectors 

 when the fault belonged to themselves in not taking that care of the 

 fish which it was their duty to do, and which in many cases has been a 

 ruinous business to purchasers. By a law of this commonwealth the 

 inspector is required to throw into an inferior quality all mackerel which 

 have been plowed, cut, or mutilated for the purpose of deception. It 

 can be of no advantage to the fishermen, and I trust will never again be 

 done. I have strictly forbidden any deputy inspector from packing any 

 mackerel with the gills or entrails in them. They must be cleansed by 

 the fishermen before they are offered for packing; otherwise they will be 

 rejected. You must be aware how much better a fare of mackerel are, 

 and how much more salable, when they are brought into market clean 

 and well struck. 



"My hope is that you will take this subject into your serious consider- 

 ation and remedy the evils which have existed, and which I think you 

 will do if you wish to insure the sale of your fish and have a due regard 

 for your own interest. Those of you who are acquainted with me will 

 do me the credit of seeking the welfare of the fishermen, which is so 

 nearly connected with that of the inspector. 



" Wishing you success in your business and prosperity in your homes, 

 I remain, your friend and humble servant, 



"JAMES BARRY." 



The following item appeared in the Boston Atlas July 15, 1845 : 

 "For the last twenty years scarcely a year has passed but there has 

 something new taken place in the mackerel fishery which had a bear- 

 ing on the inspection laws. The mackerel are fatter or poorer, larger 

 or smaller, plenty or scarce, some one of which are different from the 

 previous year, and thus it is impossible to make a law to meet all these 

 changes in every particular. Whenever a change takes place its first 

 operation is generally in favor of one or the other, until an alteration in 

 the law takes place or interest dictates a remedy. Such has been the 

 case the present season in relation to the South No. 3. 



" Heretofore all mackerel taken south of Nantucket have been denomi- 

 nated Block Island, and considered to be of inferior quality; so much 



