[385] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



owner refuse to satiafie the packer, such packer shall have redress on. 

 complaint to any justice of the peace, who is hereby impowered to com- 

 pel the payment thereof by distress. 



[Sec. 7.*] That all fines, penalties, and forfeitures, arising by force 

 and virtue of this act, shall be the one-half to their majesties toward the 

 support of the government of this province, and the other half to him 

 or them that shall inform and sue for the same in any of their majestie's 

 courts of record within this province. 



Be it further enacted [Sec. 8], That there be a measurer of salt and 

 culler of fish in every seaport town within this province, to be appointed 

 as aforesaid, who being likewise sworn for the faithful discharge of that 

 office, shall cull all merchantable fish and measure all salt that shall 

 be imported and sold out of any ship or other vessel, and shall have 

 three half-pence for every hogshead of salt by him so measured, to be 

 paid, the one-half by the buyer, the other half by the seller. And one 

 penny per quintal for every quintal of merchantable fish by him culled, 

 to be paid, one-half by the buyer and the other half by the seller. (Acts 

 and resolves of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. 1, 1G92-1714, 

 p. 49.) 



Between the years 1692 and 1784 various other laws similar to the 

 preceding were enacted. A comprehensive law was passed on No- 

 vember 9, 1784, by which the selectmen of the town, in the common- 

 wealth of Massachusetts, were authorized to choose and appoint search- 

 ers and packers of dry and pickled fish designed for exportation from 

 the State. In this law it is provided that each barrel of pickled fish 

 must contain a sufficient quantity of salt for their preservation ; that 

 mackerel and other barrelled fish be packed all of one kind and in casks 

 well seasoned, containing not less than thirty gallons, and the casks be 

 full and properly branded with the name of the fish therein. 



The law of March 0, 1810, which repealed all previous enactments 

 on the same subject is a very minute and important one. It provides 

 for the appointment of au inspector-general and deputy inspectors. The 

 former is required to give bonds to the treasurer of the State for the 

 faithful discharge of his duties. The deputies must give bonds to the 

 inspector-general, and he is held responsible for them. In this law we 

 find the qualities of fish more definitely described than in earlier laws. 

 The section on this subject requires that barrels containing pickled fish 

 "shall be branded salmon, mackerel, shad (or as the case may be); 

 those of the best quality, caught in the right season, to be most ap- 

 proved and free from damage, shall be branded Cargo No. 1 ; those 

 which remain after the best have been selected, being sweer and free 

 from taint, rust, or damage, shall be branded, Cargo No. 2 ; and there 

 shall be a third quality, which shall consist of the thinnest and poorest 

 of those that are sweet and wholesome, shall be branded, Cargo No. 3; 

 and the inspector shall also brand in plain, legible letters, on the head 

 * Section 6 refers to the packing of tar. 



