2552 AWAKD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Poor mackerel ? A. Yes. 



Q. What are they selling for this year and what does he do? A. 

 They have been selling for $12 until recently, and then they come down 

 to $10. He has been to my place recently, but he said he didn't kiyrv?* 

 whether he would purchase any. 



Q. Will mackerel be taken for consumption at a price above that of 

 other staple articles of equivalent food value ? A. I don't think they 

 will in very large quantities. 



Q. Now, what causes have been in existence interfering with the sale 

 of salt mackerel during the past few years? A. I think there have been 

 several causes. One is the facility of carrying our fresh fish into dis- 

 tant parts of the country. That has materially interfered with it. 

 Then there is the lake herring; during the months of November and 

 December until May they are very plenty. They are now used in very 

 large quantities all throughout the West. 



Q. What are lake herring ? A. A species of white fish, I think, only 

 smaller. 



Q. What do they sell for per barrel ? A. This party I referred to, 

 speaking of his trade, said that last year he used 30,000 packages. A 

 package is a half barrel. 



Q. How are these put up ? A. Pickled. And he told me they were 

 sold at $2 a package. 



Q. You say these have interfered with the constancy of the demand ? 

 A. I think, during the months we used to depend very largely on the 

 consumption of our mackerel, the lake herring has been one great cause 

 for the decline during these months in the market-value of mackerel. 



Q. As to the increased supply of fresh fish, and the extensive area 

 over which it can be distributed, what effect has that f A. Well, we 

 employ a very large fleet on the Grand Banks and other off shore Banks 

 for halibut, and there have been of late years very large quantities 

 taken, and the prices have been very low. They are going to all parts 

 of the country, and I think that has had its effect. People will not eat 

 salt fish when they can get fresh. 



Q. How far West have you sent any halibut, or do you know of it 

 being sent fresh in ice ? A. I have known instances where one of our 

 neighbors receives them up in Montana. I don't know in what quanti- 

 ties. He ships them right direct. 



Q. But as far as Mississippi does the fresh fish in ice go? A. All 

 along that section, I think. 



Q. Taking such cities as Cincinnati, Chicago, Saint Louis, to say 

 nothing of hundreds of smaller ones ? A. They are supplied with fresh 

 fish in many instances. The cars take them right through. 



Q. Now, I want to ask you something about the herring fishery. How 

 extensive is the herring fishery in the waters of the United States ? A. 

 Well, I haven't any statistics of the herring catch. There are very 

 large quantities taken there all along in the months of September and 

 October, about six weeks in September and October, all along our 

 shores. 



Q. How are they taken ? A. All in nets. 



Q. What becomes of them ? A. Generally the largest part are used 

 in our Western trade. Last year there was quite a large amount that 

 was shipped to Sweden. I don't know what quantities. I should say 

 some seven or eight barks or brigs loaded from Gloucester. 



Q. Were they United States fish f A. They were packed in Glouces- 

 ter fresh. 



