jut 



CHAPTER 4. 



CHANGES IN THE FISHERIES SEEKING NEW FISHING GROUNDS 

 THE FISHERIES AS AT PRESENT CONDUCTED. 



The fishing industry of Gloucester is almost constantly under- 

 going changes in its character and methods. "Within the last thirty- 

 five 3'ears an almost entire revolution has been wrought in the bus- 

 iness. In 1841 the fisheries, after a gradual decline for many }~ears, 

 had about reached their lowest ebb, and from that point the tenden- 

 cy was in the direction of expansion. Since 1847, notwithstanding 

 the decadence of the foreign commerce of the port, which at that 

 time employed one ship and nine brigs, the tonnage of the District 

 has increased from 357 vessels, of a total of 17,548 tons, to 503 ves- 

 sels, of a tonnage of 30,724 tons ; and the improved character of 

 the vessels engaged in the fisheries is shown in the fact that not- 

 withstanding the disappearance of the square-riggers from the dis- 

 trict, the average tonnage of the fleet has increased from 49 to 61 

 tons. An average Gloucester fishing schooner is now fully equal, 

 in everj 7 detail of equipment and the qualities which give speed and 

 safety, to the first-class yachts that dance upon the waters of Mas- 

 sachusetts Bay or Long Island Sound ; while her outfits for the 

 prosecution of the business contain .every convenience which modern 

 ingenuit}' can devise, and her crew are supplied with all the neces- 

 sities of life and regaled on many of the luxuries unknown in ordi- 

 nary passenger transportation b}' sea. 



