[301] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



1SGS.— Increase in the price demanded por license to fish 



IN BRITISH WATERS. 



Information has been receved at Ottawa from. England that the 

 British Government has agreed to fix the tax on American vessels fish- 

 ing in Canadian waters at $2 per ton, and that the three warnings here- 

 tofore required to be given to American fishing vessels will be dispensed 

 with. * * * Onr fishermen would not object to a reasonable tax, 

 but $2 per ton is .altogether too much. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, May 

 15, 1868.) 



18C8. — First arrivals of the southern fleet. 



Two eastern vessels have arrived at this port from the south the 

 present week with about 150 barrels of mackerel each. These are the 

 first arrivals of the season, and the mackerel met with very ready sales. 

 "None of the Gloucester fleet have as yet arrived. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, 

 June 5, 18G8.) 



1868. — Mackerel plenty off boston. 



Mackerel have been quite plenty in the bay (Massachusetts Bay) the past 

 week. The school has mostly tended off Boston "harbor, and there has 

 been a large catch. They have been retailed for 3 cents each, and the 

 demand has been quite lively. — (Ibid.) 



1868. — The mackerel fishery; fitting away of the bay fleet; 

 seining- to be tried in the bay. 



The George's fishery is now slacking up a little and some of the ves- 

 sels are hauling off", preparatory to fitting away for the bay of Saint 

 Lawrence. A few of the fleet have already sailed, and by the last of 

 the month there will be quite a number of vessels on their way there. 

 The bay fleet will be quite as large as it was last season. * * *. A 

 new feature will be introduced in this branch of the fisheries this season; 

 that of seining. Some seven or eight vessels are to engage in the bus- 

 iness, which it is expected will prove very remunerative. It is an ex- 

 periment that has never tried, but we see no reason why it should not 

 prove as successful as seining on this shore. Should the vessels which 

 are to engage in it find it profitable, it will no doubt be more exten- 

 sively engaged in another season. 



The southern fleet having had very bad weather through the month 



of May, are rather backward on their trips this season, and but few of 



them have arrived home. Another week will probably bring along most 



of the* fleet in time to fit for the bay. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, June 12, 



1S68.) 



1868. — The southern fishery. 



Some fourteen sail of vessels have arrived from the south the present 

 week with good fares of mackerel, averaging about 200 barrels ecah. 



