240 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



The Cape Aun Advertiser of February 10, 1882, says: "Schooner Mystic, Capt, John McKen 

 non, has stocked the year endiug February 8, 1882, $21,002. He claims high line of the shore 

 haddockiug fleet, and so far as \vo know this is the largest stock ever reported in this fishery. 

 The crew shared $780.00. In 1880 he stocked $17,765, the crew sharing $705. 



" The New schooner Dido recently built at Essex, for Mr. George Steele, of this city, has been 

 engaged in the haddock fishery just one month to-day, during which time she has made three trips, 

 stocking $3,750. On her last trip she stocked $1,400. Her crew shared for the mouth $138 each. 

 The Dido is commanded by Capt. William N. Wells. Schooner Richard Lester, Capt. Ozro B. 

 Fitch, on a recent haddock trip stocked $1,100." 



The same paper, on February 24, 1882, states that "the largest haddock fare ever landed was 

 that of the schooner Martha C., of Gloucester, Capt. Charles Martin, which arrived at Boston on 

 Friday [February 17] from a George's haddock trip, and weighed off 93,000 pounds haddock, 

 stocking $1,943, the crew sharing $91, the result of two and a half days' fishing. Absent ten 

 days. This was the largest catch and best stock ever reported in the haddock fishery." 



The Martha C., in thirteen hours' fishing, in the winter of 1880-'81, caught 90,000 pounds of 

 cod and haddock. The total amount of haddock carried into Boston in 1870 was 17,000,000 

 pounds; of this amount probably at least 13,000,000 were obtained by the winter haddock vessels. 

 The total yield of this fishery does not, probably, fall below 18,000,000 to 20,000,000 pounds. 



7. RUNNING FOR THE MARKET. 



No class of vessels, not even the halibut schooners, take more risks in running for market than 

 do the haddock schooners. It is of the utmost importance to them to reach the market with their 

 fish in good condition, and, if possible, to be in advance of other vessels engaged in the same 

 business. In the stormiest of weather all sail that they will bear is crowded upon them, and har- 

 bors are made even in heavy snow and thick fogs. The trips are short, averaging frequently not 

 more than two or three days, and rarely longer than a week or ten days; they are, therefore, con- 

 stantly running for the land, and are more accustomed to making the coast than the halibut 

 vessels, and become so familiar with the hsirbors most frequently resorted to, especially with 

 that of Boston, that they are able to enter them when no other vessels, probably not even pilot 

 boats, would care to make the attempt. What has already been said abcut the dangers encoun- 

 tered by the halibut schooners will apply as well, in its fullest extent, to the haddock schooners. 



8. THE MANNER OF OUTFIT. 



In the winter haddock fishery every man supplies his own dory and outfit complete, besides 

 paying his share of the provision bill. In the settlement of the voyage the vessel draws one-fourth 

 of the net stock, or in the case of the older vessels, according to the old system, only one-fifth, after 

 certain stock charges have been deducted for bait, ice, wharfage, and towage. The remaining 

 three-fourths or four-fifths of the net stock is divided equally among the crew, the owner paying the 

 skipper's commission or percentage from the vessel's share. The average share of each man in the 

 Gloucester crews for the winter of 18SO-'81 was about $290. The most successful shared $500 to 

 $550. The largest stock ever made in one day's fishing in the winter's shore fishery up to 1880 was 

 that of the Eastern Queen, of Gloucester, which carried to the Boston market, in 1873, 25,000 

 pounds of haddock, and stocked $1.100. This vessel also made the largest stock of that season, 

 realizing in five months $10,250 clear of all expenses, the crew sharing $550 each. The crew of 

 the schooner David J. Adams, in March, 1881, shared $107 each in a ten days' trip in the haddock 

 fishery. 



