174 



NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



fisheries for the year 1859 may be estimated conservatively 

 at $1,650,000 from the mackerel fishery and $3,025,000 from 

 the codfishery, a total of $4,675,000 from both industries. 



Whether considered during periods of "lean" years, or 

 when the prosperity of the fisheries is at its flood, the fish- 

 erman's share of the catch seems inadequate not only as 

 an incentive for him to continue in the fishing business 

 but also to support him and his family. How can they 

 live on so small an income? The share of the cod fisher- 

 man for the decade between 1840 and 1850 was $62.31 a 

 year on an average ; his part of the government allowance 

 was $14.58 more, making his total income from the cod- 

 fishery $76.89. The income seems incredibly low, but it is a 

 larger share than the mackerel fishermen received from the 

 sea. For the five years previous to 1851, according to Con- 

 gressman Scudder of Massachusetts, the 8,879 fishermen 

 who were engaged in the mackerel fishery received an an- 

 nual income of $64.04 derived from the sea. 1 



The fishermen themselves might manage to live very well 

 on the scanty income because food and shelter were pro- 

 vided him when at sea and there was no opportunity, or 

 need, of his spending money when aboard the vessel. His 

 expenses for clothing, boots, oil-clothes and tobacco were 



NEW ENGLAND COD AND MACKEREL FISHERIES IN 1859. 



32nd Cong., 1st Sess., Vol. 29, pp. 919-920. 



