782 HJLSTOKY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



almost wholly during the season." That the destruction of lobsters by fish in this district is very 

 great is indicated by the observations of Mr. V. N. Edwards, of Wood's Holl, who, during 

 October and November, 1877, examined the stomachs of hundreds of cod caught about No Man's 

 Land. Nearly all the fish he examined contained one or more young lobsters, and in many cases 

 the stomachs were almost entirely filled with them. 



THE FISHERY IN 1882. During the summer of 1882, the author made many inquiries of the 

 fishermen regarding the lobster fishery of the Martha's Vineyard region, including No Man's 

 Land and the Elizabeth Islands, with the following results: 



Lobsters have, from year to year, steadily decreased in size and abundance, in the upper 

 part of Vineyard Sound, while at the same time there has been a proportionate increase in num- 

 bers, and the size has remained constant, about Gay Head, No Man's Land, and Cuttyhunk. 

 About one-third of the catch only is under size or less than 10J inches in length. According to 

 some of the older fishermen of No Man's Land, 1882 was one of the best lobster years ever ex 

 perienced there. From fifteen to twenty men lobstered during the summer season, setting, on an 

 average, sixty traps each, the greater part of which were arranged in trawls of eight to twenty 

 traps. The catch during this season, from the middle of May to the latter part of September, 

 amounted to about 100,000 marketable lobsters, weighing, on an average, 2 pounds each. The 

 price paid by the smacks was 8 cents each, making a total season's stock for the twenty men 

 of $8,000. 



In addition to the twenty fishermen living on the island, there were six smacks, owned in 

 New London County, Connecticut, with a combined crew of twenty-four men, which fished in the 

 same region. Their catch, though large, was proportionately less than for the regular fishermen. 

 As fast as they obtained fares, they proceeded to market, generally New York. One market 

 smack, called the Boston Smack, made weekly trips to the island, and carried the catch of the 

 fishermen to New York, at the rate of about 6,000 lobsters each trip. Another smack, the Daboll 

 of New York, made occasional trips, carrying about the same amount of lobsters each time. 



In the above reckoning no account has been taken of the fisheries of Menemsha Bight, near 

 Gay Head, and of Cuttyhunk, at both of which places the catch for 1882 was much larger than 

 for 1880. In the upper part of Vineyard Sound, on both the Martha's Vineyard and Naushon 

 sides, the fishery for 1882 was poor. The Wood's Holl lobstermen set their traps during only a 

 very short part of the summer, and the greater portion of their catch was under size. 



The lobster season at No Man's Land generally begins about the middle of May and con- 

 tinues until about the 20th of September. About October 1, the fishermen begin to turn their 

 attention to the cod fishery, which lasts until bad weather sets in, and is again taken up in the 

 spring, from April I to the middle of May. The lobster pots are set on all sides of the island, 

 but mainly off the north and west sides, where there are numerous rocky patches, at distances ot 

 1 to 2 miles from laud, and with depths of 10 to 13 fathoms. Each of the fishermen owns 

 one or two floating cars for the storage of his catch, awaiting shipment. Thirty such cars were 

 in use during 1882, the larger ones having a capacity of 500 to 1,000 lobsters each, but there are 

 others of smaller size. They are tied to stakes just off the shore, in front of the fishing village, 

 and swing with the tide. They are made of two shapes; the smaller ones are generally rectan- 

 gular, but the larger ones taper at one or both ends, but from the bottom and top, so as to present 

 a rather narrow edge to the tidal currents, or to the waves, in stormy weather. This construction 

 is rendered necessary from the fact that the area in which they are moored is exposed to a 

 heavy sea, during strong easterly winds, and a plain rectangular car would soon be torn to pieces. 



