THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 221 
and when there was only a small fleet of about 25 or 30 vessels 
engaged in the net fishery. 
The importance of the introduction of the method of catching 
codfish with gill-nets was more fully demonstrated than ever 
before in the winter of 1882-83, and the operations carried on 
during that season in the inshore fisheries may be considered as 
having first fairly established this method of fishing in New 
England; since, previous to that time, there had been many per- 
sons rather skeptical as to the benefits that might be derived 
from the use of nets for catching cod. 
Owing to the almost total failure of the bait supply in the 
latter part of 1882 and the beginning of 1883, it was found im- 
practicable to carry on the shore cod fishery by the old method 
of hook-and-line fishing. Such a scarcity of bait had never been 
previously known, and if the fishermen had been ignorant of 
the use of gill-nets for the capture of cod, a valuable and import- 
ant industry must have been almost abandoned, for that season 
at least, while it may be considered probable that the scarcity of 
fresh cod, which would have resulted, must have increased the 
price in our markets very materially, possibly, in some cases, to 
such an extent as practically to place this desirable article of 
food beyond the reach of the masses. But during the two pre- 
vious years the New England fishermen had learned a great deal 
about catching codfish in nets, not only by practical experience 
but also from an illustrated pamphlet, containing descriptions 
of all the methods, which had been freely circulated by Professor 
Baird. The fishermen were, therefore, prepared to meet this 
unforseen emergency—an almost entire absence of bait. In- 
stead of being compelled to give up the shore cod fishery, as 
they otherwise must have done, they met with a success which 
had seldom or never before been equalled. Such results were 
obtained by the use of gill-nets, that the local papers in the 
fishing ports contained frequent notices of successful catches. 
As an instance may be mentioned the following from the Cafe 
Ann Advertiser, December 8th, entitled ‘* The Good Results of 
Net Cod Fishing. On Tuesday, December 4th, boat “ Equal,” 
with two men, took 5,000 pounds of large codfish in seven nets 
off shore, sharing $40 each. The “Rising Star” has stocked 
