40 DR. D. H. STOKER'S REPORT. April, 



Yarmouth, ..... 2,446 barrels. 



Salem and Beverly, . . . 2,394 



Plymouth, .... 1,477 



Lynn, ..... 1,400 



Duxbury, ..... 1,000 

 Charlestown, .... 822 



At the prices these fish were worth in November, 1836, the value 

 of the year's fishing, amounts to 1,264,012 dollars. 



The whole number of barrels of mackerel, inspected in Massa- 

 chusetts for the five last years, are as follows : 



1832, 224,000 barrels : 1833, 225,000 : 1834, 253,000 : 

 1835, 197,000 : 1836, 180,616. 



Although it would seem, from the above table, that a smaller quan- 

 tity of mackerel had been packed in 1836, than the several years 

 immediately preceding it, yet it cannot be inferred, from this circum- 

 stance, that fewer vessels were engaged, or that the business was 

 considered less important than before. In some years, immense 

 shoals of these fishes are readily met with, and the vessels return in 

 a few weeks, with full cargoes ; while the same localities may be 

 visited at other seasons, and the efforts of the fisherman prove fruit- 

 less, and his fare meagre indeed. 



So peculiar are the habits of this Genus, that oftentimes weeks 

 may pass, the fishing-smacks be surrounded by millions sporting upon 

 the surface of the ocean, and scarce one allow itself to be taken, 

 while again, the success of a few days will relieve the disappoint- 

 ments of nearly a season. 



Thus, a fisherman informs me, that the last season, (1837,) hav- 

 ing been to the bay of Chaleur, and taken but few fish, the vessel to 

 which he belonged, was returning home, when, off Cape Cod, the 

 fish were so numerous and voracious, that the crew, consisting of 10 

 men, captured in 2 hours, nearly 30 barrels of them. At this time 

 about 200 smacks were together, and they were all equally success- 

 ful, some of them, taking even 40 barrels of fish. 



After being carefully inspected, these fish find a ready market in 

 Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and New Orleans, and from 



