64 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



fallen into inferior methods of curing and packing their 

 fish. An act was passed providing for the appointment of 

 officers to correct these abuses. 1 



Previous to the year 1650, the colony of Plymouth had 

 permitted the inhabitants of Hull to seine for fish at Cape 

 Cod. Some irregularities took place at the Cape about this 

 time and the colony took the matter into their own hands. 

 Mr. John Stone was forbidden to fish longer in that region. 

 On the other hand, permission was given to three residents 

 of Plymouth, and to others from Plymouth, Nauset, or 

 Duxbury who should join them, to engage in the bass fish- 

 ery at Cape Cod, and to use wood as they might need. 

 The next year the privilege was given to the same persons 

 and to William Bradford for three years' time. The regu- 

 lations provided for the establishment of two companies 

 only to engage in the fisheries there. The fisheries of Cape 

 Cod were carried on by the Plymouth Colony, usually by 

 annual leases, until the union of the colony with Massa- 

 chusetts Bay in 1692. During the greater part of the 

 period they were subject to continual annoyance from the 

 Massachusetts fishermen. When the colonies became 

 united, the inter-colonial troubles ceased. 



During the last half of the seventeenth century the fish- 

 ing interests of Massachusetts Bay grew into importance 

 beyond all other industries. All business enterprises were 

 affected by the fisheries. After the cessation of English 

 immigration to New England with the overthrow of the 

 Stuart monarchy, the people centered their attention upon 

 fishing to secure cargoes for their outgoing vessels ; and in 

 shipbuilding, to provide ships to carry the cured products 

 of ^ the sea to the markets of Europe and the West Indies. 

 Year after year the two industries developed side by side, 

 for more than a century, until the time came when in each 

 industry the New Englanders surpassed the mother country, 

 igabine, p. 127. 



