REGULATION OF THE SEA-FISHERIES BY LAW. 87 



P. SorxHWiCK's Statement : 



Is seventy-six years of age. When about twenty years old, went sev- 

 eral times to the Yineyard Islands, with a seine, to fish for bass -, some- 

 times staid two weeks, but never with success ; did not realize enough 

 to pay expenses, and often not enough to pay for food consumed while 

 -so engaged. 



The fishermen used to say fish were less plenty than formerly, as long- 

 ago as I can recollect. 



Mr. T. Stea^ens, one of our oldest hook-and-line fishermen, says that 

 he, with two others, went to Martha's Yineyard to fish for tautog about 

 thirty-five years ago ; would get from one thousand to three thousand 

 pounds in a week's fishing. Went east because they could do better 

 than at home. 



Newport, August 12, 1871. 



William Sisson, of Westerly, commenced fishing fourteen years ago j 

 fished all the time since, except from 1861 to 1865, from June to Octo- 

 ber. Used shore-seine; fished from Long Island to Cape Cod with it. 

 Find bass first appear on western part of fishing-grounds ; later, further 

 east. The first that come are smaller. Have not failed to catch good 

 fares any year that I have been fishing, but never caught more than at 

 the present season. The spawn is well developed in most of the bass 

 now ; saw last week small bass, smallest four inches long, at Waquoit. 



Horse-mackerel are not so plenty the present season, but have been 

 very much more plenty the last few years than when I first fished ; 

 think three to one. 



Bass feed on the bottom, on small fish, worms, and roots ; swim near 

 the surface, sometimes very fast, so that it would take a smart sail- boat 

 to keep up -, catch them best on the flood-tide. 



Both bass and horse-mackerel attack birds. Have seen small quan- 

 tity of spawn of bass in seine. They go together to spawning-grounds 

 in the rivers. Have seen scup cut by horse-mackerel, and have taken 

 from them the tail-end of scup that I think would weigh half a pound. 

 I think them very destructive to all kinds of smaller fish, more so than 

 anything I know of. 



Fish are just as plenty as ever, but more wild, and keep more off 

 shore, owing, to traps and other fishing for them. Bass will take hook 

 any time. 



STATEIMENT TAKEN FROM I^IY BOOKS OF THE FISHERY AT PINE TREE. 



In 1866, up to May 11, caught $2 25 worth of fish. On the 11th 

 caught 168 barrels of scup, at $2 per barrel. 



In 1867, up to May 14, caught $10 worth of scup. On the 14th caught 

 76 barrels, at $2 a barrel. 



In 1868 fished from May 1 to 23. Total sales of all kinds of fish, 

 $86 72. 



In 1869, May 6, catch, 2 scup ; 10th, catch, 1 barrel ; 13th, caught 32 

 barrels, at $3 a barrel. 



In 1870, May 2, catch, 11 scup ; 8th, 6 barrels -, on the 15th, 60 barrels, 

 at $2 per barrel. 



This fishery had been fished about seven years before I fished it in 

 1866; and I am told that large bodies of scup were taken as early as 



