[381] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



On March 24, 1864, the following amendment to the fish inspection 

 laws was approved : 



Inspection of mackerel. 



1. Chapter forty, section five, of the Revised Statutes is hereby 

 amended by striking out all in said section after the word " therein " 

 in the thirteenth line, and inserting mackerel of the best quality, not 

 mutilated, measuring not less than thirteen inches from the extremity 

 of the head to the crotch of or fork of the tail, free from rust, taint, or 

 damage, shall be branded number one. The next best quality, being 

 not less than eleven inches, measuring as aforesaid, free from rust, taint, 

 or damage, shall be branded number two. Those that remain after the 

 above selections, free from taint or damage, and not less than thirteen 

 inches, measuring as aforesaid, shall be branded number three large. 

 Those of the next inferior quality, free from taint or damage, not less 

 than ten inches in length, as aforesaid, shall be branded number three. 

 All other mackerel free from taint or damage shall be branded number 

 three small. The inspectors shall also brand in plain letters on the head 

 of every such cask the weight, the initials of his Christian and the whole 

 of his surname, the name of his town, and the letters Me., an abridge- 

 ment of the month, and the year, in figures when packed. The inspector- 

 general of fish shall have no interest, directly or indirectly, in the cure 

 or packing of pickled fish. 



Term of office of inspector-general lengthened. 



2. Chapter ninety-nine, section one, of the public laws of eighteen hun- 

 dred and sixty-two is hereby amended by striking out the word "two" 

 and and inserting five. 



3. This act shall take effect when approved by the governor. 



The present fish inspection laws of Maine were passed February 10, 

 1875, and abolish the office of inspector-general, which was created in 

 1802. Each fishing port is now provided with its own inspectors. 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



Various inspection laws regulating the packing of pickled fish have 

 been in force in Massachusetts since early colonial days. The following 

 law was passed in May, 1651 : 



Att a Gennerall Courte of Eleccons, held at Boston, 7th May, 1051. 



For preventing the deceipt of any person in packing of fish, beife 

 and porke to be putt to salie in this and other jurisdictions, itt is 

 therefore ordered by this Courte and the authoritje thereof, that in 

 every towue w tb in this jurisdicon where any such goods are packed up 

 for sale, the gager of that toune, or of the tonne wherein it is putt to 

 sale, or shipt, shall see that it be well and orderly performed, that is to 

 say, beife and porke, the whole halfe or quarter together, and so pro- 

 portionably, and the best be not left out ; and for fish, that they bepackt 



