86 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Peleg Huddy's statement: 



Has been a liook-aud-line fisherman tliirty-five years. Sea-bass were 

 ver3' scattering, when first fished ; were told that they were very plenty 

 before that time. About ten years ago they became very plenty, since 

 which they are not so abundant. 



Mackerel ^ere more plenty in August, 1870, than ever knew them to 

 be before. Fish generally are quite as plenty as ever, except at certain 

 localities in the bay. While some kinds have decreased, others have 

 increased. Don't believe nets or traps materially affect their number. 



Statement of IS'athan King- : 



Is now, and always has been, a hook-and-line fisherman ; thinks fish, 

 generally, as j)lenty as ever, but are driven off shore by the steamers ; 

 thinks they are the chief cause of scarcity in the bay ; has watched 

 them darting from a boat, and thinks that steamers must have great 

 effect in driving or scaring them from the waters. 



About twelve years ago, knew of a boat that went to Point Judith 

 for tautog j fished some, without success, at the usual fishing-grounds, 

 then hauled up killick, and worked along slowly — watching all the time 

 for fish ', came to a clear spot on the bottom and saw them ; carefully 

 dropped anchor, and in a very short time had a good fare of very nice, 

 large tautog. Eepeated the same several days, with good success. 



When the sun is very hot, tautog leave the clear spots for shelter in 

 the weeds and rocks. Mr. King thinks the fish are very much harassed 

 all along the shore by fishermen ; bnt Avhen they are found in a quiet 

 spot, can be caught quite as well as ever they could. He remembers 

 hearing the comx)laint, '"^that fish were not so plenty as they used to 

 be," when he first went fishing ; but fishermen forget the poor fares, and 

 remember well the good ones. The nearest places are so much more 

 fished, is a reason for catching less at those places, if there were noth- 

 ing else to disturb the fish. 



Lobsters are quite as plenty as ever -, that is to say, that the same 

 number of pots catch as many pounds as thirty years ago. 



Newport, September, 1871. 



Henry Merritt's statement : 



Have been engaged in hook-and-line fishing twenty years — princi- 

 pally for tautog ; used to catch from thirty to three hundred pounds. 

 Tlie latter was an extra good catch. We considered one hundred and 

 fifty pounds a good day's fishing. The seasons varied somewhat, but 

 cannot tell just which seasons they were most plenty ; but think they 

 were more scarce the season after so many were chilled in the winter 

 and driven ashore. The}^ were very scarce two years ago, but very 

 plenty last year; never saw them more so than then. 



Cauglit three hundred pounds tautog several days running, and some- 

 times two hundred pounds cod-fish on the same day. Fished from Bea- 

 ver Tail to Point Judith. Thinks the average catch equals former 

 years at same places. Have caught tautog as late as Christmas on the 

 ledges. Have seen scui) very plenty on the ledges almost every year, 

 but more last year. Should say there were three times the number fish- 

 ing now that there were twenty years ago. 



Scup are very plenty in the bay at present] have been since June. 



