68 AMKRICAN FISHKRIKS SOCIETY, 



AFTERNOON SESSION 



Wednesday, April 14th, 3 p. m. 



The meeting was called to order by the Chairniiin, Dr. Iludsijii. 

 and the Secretary read the following : 



HISTORY OF THE ICED FISH AND FROZEN FISH 

 TRADE OF THE UNITED STATES. 



BY A. HOWARD CLARK. 



Tiic iced fish trade of tlie United States began abcnit the year 

 1842. Prior to that date the inland trade in fresh fish was very 

 limited, and could be carried on only in the winter months. In 

 1S45 the fisliing vessels of New England began to carry ice for 

 keeping the catcli fresh. Care was at first taken that the ice be 

 kept separate from the fish, being placed in a corner of the hold. 

 It was soon found, however, that packing the fish in crushed ice 

 did not material)}' injure them, and this methcjd was soon in 

 general use on all the vessels, and largely superseded the trade 

 in live fish north of Cape Cod. For many years it was thought 

 impossible to transport fish inland, even if packed in ice, and it 

 was not until 1859 or i860, that Gloucester dealers could be in- 

 duced to try the experiment of sending fish in ice to Boston and 

 New York. Old sugar boxes were used for packing, and as the 

 experiment was perfectly successful, a large trade was quickly 

 developed, and iced fish were sent west as far as Minnesota and 

 south to St. Louis, or even to more distant markets. 



For ten years or more prior to 1842, Boston and Gloucester 

 dealers had carried on a trade of frozen fish during the winter 

 and early spring, sending the fish by teams inland as far as 

 Albany and Montreal; but as warm weather advanced the frozen 

 fish gave place to dry and pickled fish. In the winter of 1854 

 an enterprising Gloucester fisherman tried the experiment of 

 bringing frozen herring, cod and halibut from Newfoundland 

 to Gloucester, wliere the herring were sold to the cod fisliermen 



