[419] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY: 



seines, 5 of them carrying, in addition, a supply of jigs for occasional 

 use. Of the remainder, 81 fish with hook and line, and 44 are provided 

 with gill-nets. 



The principal fishing grounds are the off-shore waters between Cape 

 Hatteras and Sandy Hook, the Block Island region, the Gulf of Maine, 

 and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. According to the list, G4 vessels fished 

 along various portions of the coast between Cape Hatteras and Mount 

 Desert Island, on the coast of Maine, 6 of them going to the Gulf of 

 Saint Lawrence for a few weeks. Twelve small craft fished regularly 

 in the waters about Block Island, 343 remained constantly in the Gulf 

 of Maine, 31 others divided their time between the Gulf of Maine and 

 the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and the remaining 18 fished wholly in Brit- 

 ish waters. As the fleet for a few of the Massachusetts ports is shown 

 for 1879, the above facts do not represent the actual condition of affairs 

 in 1880 ; for during the last-named year not over 25 American vessels 

 entered provincial waters. 



Massachusetts furnishes over half of the entire mackerel fleet, heading 

 the list with 279 sail, valued at $750,895. Maine comes next with 176 

 vessels, worth $233,715. New Hampshire has 11 sail, valued at 29,300; 

 while the Connecticut fleet consists of 2 large schooners, worth $14,000. 

 The four principal mackerel-fishing ports are Gloucester, Portland, 

 Wellfleet, and Boston, these sending 113, 46, 34, and 25 vessels, re- 

 spectively. 



