188 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



John Orpins, a line-fisbermau, lias been fishing for thirty years and 

 never knew fish so scarce as at present. Every year they grow less and 

 less. 



Captain Winslow, a line-fisherman, has not caught half as many fish 

 this year as last. The nets were so thick that the blue-fish did not get 

 by. None got into the harbor to spawn. Formerly large numbers have 

 spawned in the harbor. He had been off a number of times, and found 

 none; never knew such a thing before. There have been no large scup 

 this year, but plenty of small ones. 



Captain G. Dunham, E. Dunham, and C. Dunham, line-fishermen 

 say : We did not catch any large scup this season ; there were plenty of 

 little ones at Long Hill. We could get but very few blue-fish on the north 

 side, and had to go to the south shore for them. They were not as plenty 

 as in past years on the south shore. We had to go to Great Point for 

 blue-fish ; could catch 25,000 to 35,000 fish in a season formerly ; but last 

 year could not catch any fish. Since the fish-pounds have been set, we 

 can get scarcely any fish. 



David Andrews, a line-fisherman, thinks there have not been more 

 than half as many blue-fish on the north side as last year; they have 

 been becoming scarcer every jenv for four or five years. There were not 

 so many on the south side as last year ; and though the weather was 

 better and the season longer, he did not get as many fish. He did not 

 catch a large scup this summer ; little ones were plenty at Long Hill, 

 but few in the harbor. He went fishing several times for blue-fish on 

 the north side, but did not get a bite ; never did it before in his life. 



David Andrews is regarded in E'antucket as an entirely truthful man. 



Sylvanus Andrews, a line-fisherman, had been off fishing several 

 times on the north side of the island, and did not get a bite ; never knew 

 such an occurrence before. The nets took all on the north side, so that 

 he could not catch any. The nets did not get as many as last year, the 

 fish having been growing scarcer for eight or ten years. He did not 

 catch a large scup this season, but got a large number of small ones. 



J. G. Orpins, line-fisherman, went blue-fishing part of the season on 

 the south side; the fish were not so plenty as last year. On the north 

 side the nets stopped all hook-fishing. 



William Wood, line-fisherman, had been fishing many years; never 

 saw so few fish as this year; on tlie north side there was no line-fishing; 

 the nets took all or kept them off. Fish were not so plenty on the north 

 side as last year. 



Charles Gardner, a line-fisherman, said blue-fisli were so scarce on 

 the north side of the island he did not fish for them ; caught a large 

 number of small scup. For the hist few years blue-fish and scup grow 

 less and less. 



Moses Beatman, a net-fisherman, said that in 1871 he caught some 

 large scup; but this year caught but four hirge scup ; i)lenty of little 

 ones at Long Hill. No blue-fish in the harbor, as in former times; very 

 few on the north side ; none to be caught with the hook and line ; the 

 nets did not do as well as last year. 



Very few of the fishermen keep any account of their catcli. At the 

 custom-house an ac(!0unt was kei)t of the number of pounds of blue-fish 

 caught at the island. The report is as follows : 



1871, from Apiil 1 to Jnm^. 30, 75,000 pounds. 



