REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [224] 



They had been made in Newburyport in 1820. At that date, or about 

 1824, there were six vessels of from 40 to 50 tons went as far south as 

 New York for mackerel. 



" I commenced mackerel fishing - in 1819 ; built a pinky and went south ; 

 chopped our bait ; worked sometimes all night ; called 125 to 150 barrels 

 a good trip for three or four weeks ; sold no mackerel fresh in those 

 days ; all salted. The first trip was usually sold in New York ; the 

 next one brought home to Gloucester. In 1859 'Squam had twenty-five 

 to thirty sail of mackerel catchers. Shore fishing was then first rate." — 

 (Notes of A. Howard Clark.) 



1828. — Close of the mackerel season. — poor success of the 



FISHERY. 



The mackerel fishery is about terminated for the season, and we are 

 sorry to say that anticipation in this article has not been realized. We 

 believe other towns make a like complaint in regard to the failure of 

 the fall fares. This will necessarily enhance the prices, and in part bal- 

 ance the failure in the number caught. The loss, however, falls upon 

 those who are immediately engaged in takjng them, and consequently 

 deprives them of that on which they depend for a livelihood, as they 

 seldom hold on in order to speculate. — (Gloucester Telegraph, Novem- 

 ber 22, 1828.) 



1828. — The mackerel fleet. 



The Gloucester Telegraph, June 21, 1828, states that from three hun- 

 dred to four hundred mackerel vessels were often seen at anchor in 

 Gloucester Harbor at one time. 



1830. — first voyage from cape ann to the gulf of saint 



Lawrence. 



The first trip to the Bay of Saint Lawrence for mackerel, from this 

 port, was made in 1830, by Capt. Charles P. Wood, in the "Mariner." 

 She was absent but four weeks, and came in full of large fat mackerel. 

 This created quite an excitement among the fishermen, and the next 

 season the Bay fishing commenced in good earnest. The vessels at first 

 made but one trip, and finished up their season's work on this shore. 

 Two hundred and fifty barrels was considered a good trip for a vessel 

 of forty or fifty tons. As soon as the business was found to be profit- 

 able, vessels of a larger class were added to the fleet, and it has gradu- 

 ally increased from year to year until the present time. — (Fisherman's 

 Memorial and Becord Book.) 



1830. — Comparative scarcity of small mackerel in Massachu- 

 setts BAY PREVIOUS TO 1830. 



Captain Merchant, of Gloucester, states that small mackerel Mere 

 very scarce in Massachusetts Bay until 1830. He also says that small 



