EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [218] 



on every side of our ship " off Cape Ann, June 26. [Young's Chronicles, 

 232.] Richard Mather, in his " Journal," 1G35, speaks of the seamen 

 taking abundance of mackerel off Menhiggin (p. 470). 



1C71. — Early fishing on cape cod. 



In 1G71 the code of laws for the government of the colony was revised 

 and ordered to be printed under the title of "The Book of the General 

 Laws of the Inhabitants of the Jurisdiction of New Plymouth." Under 

 these laws, or " General Fundamentals," as they were called, provisions 

 were made, as, has been suggested, "for the better improving of fishing 

 for mackerel, &c, at the Cape." Penalties were imposed for taking 

 them at other thin specified times, licenses were to be granted, &c, &c. 

 It was now "ordered that the charges of the free schools, £33 per an- 

 num, shall be defrayed by the treasurer out of the profits arising from 

 the fishing at the Cape until such time as the minds of the freemen be 

 known concerning it." 



At this time, also, "certain persons belonging in Hull petitioned the 

 government for permission to fish at Cape Cod for mackerel, they hav- 

 ing discovered a new method of fishing with nets by moonlight." — 

 (Freeman's Hist, of Cape Cod, Boston, 18G2, vol. i, p. 2GG.) 



1G77. — Rental of the cape cod fishery. 



In July, 1G77, the records of the Plymouth colony show that the Cape 

 Cod fishery was let for 7 years, at thirty pounds per annum, to seine 

 mackerel and bass, to certain individuals who are named. They were 

 restricted to take in the Plymouth colonists with them, and if none 

 offer, to admit strangers. 



The profits of the hire which accrued to the colony were sometimes 

 distributed to the schools. — (Massachusetts Historical Collections, iii, 

 p. 220.) 



51. — Nineteenth century. 



1802. — Mackerel fishing in cape cod pay. 

 The following paragraph is taken from the Gloucester Historical Col. 

 lections, vol. viii, 1802, p. 199 : 



"Provincetown, 1802. 



"The first mackerel which are taken to Boston market in the spring 

 are taken in the harbor and yield a handsome profit, though the Boston 

 marketmen purchase them at about ^ of what they are sold for. 300 

 barrels are every year pickled and sent to Boston. The mackerel, bass, 

 and herring are caught with seines, of which there are about 50 in the 

 town, and which cost $100 each. Another seine, worth six dollars, is 

 made use of for catching mackerel in the spring, and herring for bait." 



1S04-1S32.— Price of mackerel in boston market. 



The average price of fresh mackerel in Boston market from 1801 to 

 1822 was six to eight cents apiece, sometimes ten ; they were always 

 sold by counts. — (Captain Merchant.) 



