187 



EEPORT OF YINAL K. EDWARDS. 



jN^ANTUCKET. 



Professor S. F. Baird : 



Dear Sir : I went to Nantucket Tuesday. "When I arrived there the 

 Det-meu got together aud agreed to tell the same story, that the fish 

 were more plenty than last year. I heard this from net-men who did 

 not agree with them. The report of the net-men was the same as that 

 of Gershom Phinney and 0. E. Snow. But all the others, hook and 

 line fishermen and seine-net men say that fish are growing less every 

 year, and think that nets are using the fish up. A large number of 

 fishermen say that the blue-fish came into harbor to spawn every year, 

 until this year, when there were so many nets that no fish got into the 

 harbor. They begin to catch blue-fish by the middle of May. 



I have seen a large number of the younger fishermen of Nantucket, 

 all of whom tell the same story that fish are growing less every year. 



Two of the net-men whom you examined last year- were absent, and 

 have been gone fishing all summer. Gershom Phinney and C. E. Snow 

 say they had the same number of nets as last year, but other fishermen 

 say they had double the number this year that they had last. The testi- 

 mony given, is as follows : 



Gershom Phinney, C. E. Snow. — Think blue-fish have been plenty. 

 The}', together, caught in their nets in 1871, 5,500 blue-fish. In 1872, 

 7,518 blue-fish. They ran two weeks longer this year than in 1871.* 



Captain G. B. Gardner and Captain B^iTES fished together through- 

 out the season. They report : 



In 1870, caught 4,000 blue-fish. 



In 1871, caught 3,350 blue-fish. 



In 1872, caught 3,495 blue-fish. 



They fished more thau two weeks longer this year than for a number 

 of years before. They fished on the south side: could get none on the 

 north side. 



Watson BurGtESS, a line-fisherman, says there were not half as many 

 blue-fish on the north side this year as the last j that there were twice as 

 many nets on the north side, but did not get as many fish as last year. 

 A line-fisherman could not get one-fourth as many blue-flsh this year 

 as the last, in the same time. He went off a number of times and did 

 not get a bite ; did not get a large scup ; little ones were plent}'. Cod 

 and alewives were more plenty. 



* Professor N. S. Sbaler, during a receut visit to Nantucket, was informed by C. E. Suow 

 that Avitb tbe same means and labor as many blue-lisb could be caugbt in 1872 as last 

 year ; tbiuks if tbere bad been uo more fisbermen tban last year, sbould bave caugbt 

 tbree times as many. Tbe fisb are larger on tbr- wbole tban last year. Tbere are 

 tbree different sizes observable. Tbe largest size includes about one-fourtb tbe wbole 

 number of tisb, aud averages in weigbt about nine pounds. Tbe next size weigb about 

 live pounds, aud includes about balf tbe fisb. Tbe smallest size weigbs about tbree 

 pounds, and takes tbe remaining fourtb. Some bave been caugbt weigbiug from twelve 

 to twenty pounds. Since tbe 7tb of September blue-fisb bave been more abundant tban. 

 ever before. Scup were plentier tban at any time during tbe last ten years; tbey were 

 snuiller but in good condition. Tbere bad been a decided gain in tbe number of cod- 

 fish ; tbey are larger tban last year. Weak-fisli were about twice as numerous as last 

 year. Spauisb mackerel has not gained in numbers. Alewives were more abundant. 



