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AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2439 



erel last ? A. Probably not more than 10 days, and perhaps not so long. 

 When the mackerel are spawning, in our opinion, there is generally a 

 dull spell, during which they do not school or go into deep water, as 

 they have gone down, we think, to spawn. We do not then catch many 

 of them, and before this dull spell commences, the spawn is running out 

 of a great many of them quite freely. When we find that they have 

 come up again in bodies which is probably ten days or a fortnight 

 after the opening of the dull spell we find that the spawn is out of 

 them. 



Q. How soon do they begin to be in good condition after their spawn- 

 ing is over? A. You can perceive that they have increased some in 

 flesh in a fortnight's time afterwards. 



Q. Name the points on the American coast at which the mackerel are 

 taken in large quantities, beginning to the southward, and running 

 northward, and the particular seasons when these fish are abundant at 

 these points? A. We find quite a body of fish after their spawning is 

 through, out near the south shoal lightship at Nantucket, and off to the 

 eastward of Nantucket Island ; southeast of that we find quite a body 

 of mackerel after their spawning is done, some years; and some years 

 there will not be so many there j but generally a number of fish are 

 taken there. 



By Sir Alexander Gait : 



Q. When does this take place ? A. From the 25th of June to the 

 10th of July, sometimes; the dates vary some. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. Mention the most southerly point where the mackerel are -found 

 in abundance ? A. We never find any extra fishing until we get some- 

 where near half-way between Cape Cod and Sandy Hook ; along the 

 coast there we find the fish considerably plentiful. We find them the"re 

 north of the light-ship say 20 miles north of it, off Delaware. 



Q. How many mackerel did you ever know to be taken in one day 

 there, by one vessel ? A. I have known 100 barrels to be taken there 

 by vessels in one day. 



Q. When you were with them ? A. Yes ; I saw them at the time. 



Q. When was this ? A. Somewhere along about the 1st of May. 



Q. That was before they had spawned ? A. Yes ; the date when they 

 are so caught there varies sometimes; it is sometimes later and some- 

 times earlier. We sometimes take large quantities off Barnegat, from 

 15 to 45 miles off the land. 



Q. Where is Barnegat? A. It is situated probably five-eighths of the 

 way from Cape Cod to Sandy Hook. 



Q. How large a quantity have you known to be taken off Barnegat 

 by the vessel ? A. Sometimes we get in one haul there 150 barrels and 

 perhaps more. I have been there when 140 barrels were taken in a day 

 at one haul of the seine. 



Q. When was that? A. Probably from the 1st to the 5th of May. 



Q. What is the next point farther north ? A. Off New York, and 

 Sandy Hook. 



Q. When are they caught there? A. Perhaps from the 5th to the 

 10th of May, and may be a little later. The fish remain some time off 

 New York ; their stay depends on the weather. 



Q. How large a catch have you known to be taken in one day there? 

 A. This last spring we took as high as 180 barrels at one haul there. 



Q. Which is the next point? A. After the mackerel get by there, 

 we do not find anything that is extra good fishing until we get down 



