REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [256] 



1853. — Arrivals from the bay. 



Quite a number of vessels have arrived since onr last from the Bay 

 of Saint Lawrence. * * * Fish are reported scarce, and but few of 

 the vessels are doing anything. — (lb.) 



1853. — The shore fleet. 



Our harbor was filled up on Thursday with about 200 sail of fishing 

 vessels. It was the largest fleet which has been iu this season. * * * 

 — (Gloucester Telegraph, October 8, 1853.) 



1853. — Destructive gale and loss of vessels at the bay. 



The Gloucester Telegraph of October 8, 1853, contains a report of 

 several mackerel schooners in the Bay of Saint Lawrence during a 

 heavy gale which occurred on the 29th of September. 



1853. — Arrivals from the bay. 



About 25 vessels have arrived home from the Bay of Saint Lawrence 

 since Saturday morning. They bring no news of importance, but all 

 report stormy weather and a scarcity of mackerel. — (Gloucester Tele- 

 graph, October 2(3, 1853.) 



1853. — Review of the mackerel fishery for 1853. 



The season for mackerel is fast drawing to a close, but about six 

 weeks remaining before the vessels will be hauled up. Present appear- 

 ances indicate that the catch will be very small comiared with last 

 year. At this port not more than one third as many mackerel have 

 been packed as there were up to this time last year. The vessels which 

 return from the bay do not average half a fare, ami those which are fish- 

 ing off this coast are doing no better comparatively. There are no 

 mackerel around our Gapes, which is unusual at this time of the year. 

 This scarcity of the article has carried the price up higher than ever 

 before known, and the tendency is still upward. Sales have been made 

 in town, this week, of bay mackerel at $15J for No. l's, $ .3f for 2's, and 

 $8£ for 3's; shore do. at $14 for l's, $10* for 2's, $7£ for 3's, and $5£ for 

 4's.— (Gloucester Telegraph, October 5, 1853.) 



1853. — Reminiscences of capt. j. w. collins. 



In June, 1853, I went to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the schooner 

 " Valiant," leaving home about the middle of June. The mackerel were 

 large that year in the Gulf, but rather scarce. Some of the vessels 

 succeeded, however, in getting fine fares, but we were not so fortunate, 

 since we brought back only GO barrels of mackerel, though absent from 

 home six weeks. Medium-sized mackerel were quite plentiful off the 

 coast of Maine in August and September, and some of the vessels did 



