THE NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES, 1915 



By Frederick F. Dimick, Boston, Mass. 



The following notes from the Annual Report of the 

 Boston Fish Bureau will be found of interest to our 

 members : 



Reviewing the fisheries of the year probably the most 

 sailent feature has been the improvement in the mackerel 

 fishery. The total catch of these fish on the northeastern 

 coast of North America amounted to 138,466 bbls. — 

 96,564 bbls. fresh, and 41,902 bbls. salt. 



Among the impressive events of the year might be 

 mentioned the introduction of the tilefish by the Bureau 

 of Fisheries. The efforts of the Bureau to popularize 

 this fish has met with splendid success. It seems almost 

 incredible that fish of so much value covering an area 

 of 70,000 square miles, 50 to 75 miles south of Nantucket, 

 should not have been marketed before. 



A subject coming before Congress is the destruction 

 of the dogfish. These fish destroy the food fish, and ham- 

 per the operations of the fishermen. The amount of fish 

 destroyed by man is but a drop in the bucket compared 

 with the amount consumed by dogfish and other preda- 

 ceous fish. 



Too much importance cannot be laid on care in the 

 preparation of fish for market whether fresh or salt. 

 The new law in regard to the inspection of fish that went 

 into effect in Canada on the first day of May, the object 

 of which is to bring into general use a strong barrel of a 

 standard size for marketing pickled fish, to raise the 

 standard of curing and grading fish, should be a benefit 

 to trade. 



A bill has been introduced into Congress to limit the 

 time that fish can be held in cold storage to three months, 

 and contains other pernicious regulations. If this bill 

 becomes a law it will increase the cost of living, and crip- 

 ple the fishing industry. 



FRESH FISH. 



On March 30, 1916, the business at the Boston Fish 

 Pier, where the fresh fish business of the city is conduct- 

 ed will have been in operation for two years during 

 which time substantial progress has been made. The 



