REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [348] 



$10,970, sharing $303 to a man, making her high line of the mackerel 

 fleet from New York to New Brunswick. — (Cape Ann Advertiser, De- 

 cember 12, 1879.) 



1879. — Review of the neav England mackerel fishery. 



In the annual report of the Boston Fish Bureau for 1879 is the follow- 

 ing concerning the mackerel fishery : 



With few exceptions the spring catch is followed only at a loss, the 

 past season proving no exception. The first to arrive generally realiz- 

 ing a handsome sum, induced the usual number, seventy-live sail, to go 

 south, sailing in March and April. The first to report, schooners "Ellen 

 M. Adams" and " Sarah M. Jacobs," taking 150 and 120 barrels of mixed 

 size and poor quality, on April 13. But a small amount of the spring 

 catch was cured. First fare of salt mackerel landed by schooner "Cora 

 E. Smith," May 3. As the season advanced and the fish reached our 

 New England coast, finding an abundance of their natural food, they 

 rapidly improved in condition. and remained plenty all the season, and 

 much later than for years past, having been taken as late as December 

 19. The catch is particularly noticeable for its superior quality, much 

 better than for years, as well as for its uniform size, being mostly 2's 

 and 3's, with very few l's; and the absence of the very small, or No. l's, 

 of the two previous years gives promise of a size larger, or at least a fair 

 amount of large fish the coming season. While the early-caught, poor 

 fish realized but £2.50 a barrel, as they improved in quality the demand 

 and price also increased, the average price being $10, $0, and $3.00, for 

 l's, 2's, and 3's. Late in the season our shores were visited by the.larg. 

 est mackerel ever seen, of most excellent quality, measuring from 10 to 

 19| inches long, weighing from If to 3 pounds each, readily selling 

 from 25 to 30 cents each, and from $oij to $40 per barrel, cured. Our 

 North Bay fleet was, fortunately, very small, only 42 sail from New 

 Eugland, averaging 257 barrels ; aggregate eatch 10,790 barrels of small 

 and very inferior fish, one vessel securing but 25 barrels all the season; 

 while the shore fleet, much smaller than usual, numbering 283 sail, aver- 

 aged 740 barrels ; the average shore catch 209,803 barrels. Total eatch 

 of the Massachusetts fleet, 150,125 barrels, against 144,205 barrels in 

 1878. As to the relative value of the mackerel fishery off the New Eng- 

 land coast as compared to those in provincial waters, it will be noticed 

 our catch began in April, ending the middle of December, three-fourths 

 of a year. It is now in contemplation sending vessels south to prosecute 

 this branch the remaining three months, making our catch perennial, 

 while the provincial catch, with favorable weather, lasts about four 

 mouths. [The receipts of fresh mackerel in Boston in 1879 were 11,724,943 

 fish in number. This is in addition to the receipts of salt mackerel.] 



1880. — The southern mackerel fishery. — early catches. — the 



fleet for 1880. 

 The tendency in the mackerel fishery is to earlier trips from year to 

 year, the use of seines enabling the fishermen to secure a catch as soon 



