[353] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY: 



of which confined their operations for the year to this department, and 

 the total receipts of salt mackerel were 103,851 sea-packed barrels. — 

 (Cape Ann Advertiser, January (!, 1882.) 



1881. — Review of the new England mackerel fishery. 



The annual report of the Boston Fish Bureau for 1881 has the fol- 

 lowing' review of the mackerel fishery for that year: 



The catch opened unusually early, schooner "Edward E.Webster," on 

 March 21, taking the first fare, 32,700 mackerel, 800 of which were large, 

 balance medium and small. The first fare of new salt mackerel arrived 

 in Boston May 9, one day earlier than in 1880, schooner "Roger Wil- 

 liams'' landing 240 bar; els that were caught off the Jersey coast. May 

 10, schooner "J. S. McQuinu" arrived with the first fare of fresh mack- 

 erel, 200 barrels, caught southeast from Sandy Hook. First cargo arrived 

 fresh same date in 1880. May 4th the first catch was made in the weirs 

 at Cape Cod ; previous year on April 26th. March 25 schooner "Lizzie 

 K. Clark" was capsized by a squall and lost, 20 miles from Barnegat ; 

 the crew were saved. This was the only mackerel A'essel lost during 

 the season. Although the season opened early the catch of cured mack- 

 erel reported at this office during the season, up to November, was as 

 follows: May, 1,670 barrels ; June, 38,683; July, 81,748; August, 70,424; 

 September, 71,043; October, 57,268. 



A light catch in November brought the season to an early close, the 

 total catch of the New England fleet of 29S sail being 391,057 barrels, 

 of which 2(59,495 were packed and inspected in Massachusetts — a gain 

 in Massachusetts inspection of 19.534 barrels over 1880. This amount 

 has been exceeded but five times in seventy-eight years. 



As will be noticed, the catch off the New England coast opened a 

 little later than usual, and continued good all the season, with the ex- 

 ception of 470 barrels, the entire catch being taken off the United States 

 coast. The size and quality were of an average, with more No. l's, and 

 an abseuce of the very small, or No. 4 The price opened low, the first 

 sale recorded being at §4.50 a barrel for large, $3.75 for medium, fall- 

 ing off in June to $4 for packed, or early 3's; inspected 3's, 2's, and l's 

 selling through the season as follows: July, $3.25, |3.50 for 3's; $5.25, 

 $5.50 for 2's. August, $3.25, 3's; $5, 2's. September, $4.25, 3's; $6.50, 

 2's; $10, l's. October, $6, $8 to $9, $18. November, $6.50, $9, $19. 

 December, $7.50, 3's; $9 to $10, 2's; $20, l's. 



The catch in provincial waters being a failure, our imports show a 

 falling off of 43,880 barrels. Fortunately very few American vessels 

 visited them, securing only 470 barrels; they returned home in season 

 to make a good record. 



Besides the large quantity of mackerel that were salted, many thou- 

 sand barrels were sold in a fresh condition. In Boston 2,200,000 and in 

 Gloucester about 650,000 one-pound cans of fresh mackerel were put up. 



