PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FISHERIES. 17 



eastward. Some say they are blind at first, but I never saw any that 

 were so ; I never saw any that did not move pretty fair. They move 

 faster in warm weather than when it is cooler. Recently they have got 

 the first scup at Watch Hill ; but there used to be a trap west of Beaver 

 Tail light, which picked them up first. Now they have rigged it as a 

 pound. 



There would not be more than a day's difference between the times of 

 catching at Fort Adams and Saughkonet. They caught scup in Vine- 

 yard Sound this year two days before we did. On the 20th of April we 

 caught thirteen barrels. We caught some on the 18th of April ; that 

 was sixteen days earlier than last year. Some of the run got hy and 

 went down to the Vineyard Sound. 



Scup are more scarce than they used to be. 



Therewere two cold seasons a few years ago, and a great many tau- 

 tog were frozen, and it was a number of seasons before we could get 

 many to supply the market here. I have heard that they are more 

 plenty this year. When they froze, they were thrown up on the Nan- 

 tucket shore, and they were cut out of the ice and sent to New York. 

 That was in 1856-'57. 



That could not have affected the scup, because they do not stay 

 around here. The chogset were affected in our harbor. 



Question. What do you suppose has affected the abundance of the 

 bass % 



Answer. They are much scarcer than they were formerly. I do not 

 know what has cleaned them out. I suppose that catching some in 

 the spring of the year may affect them somewhat. 



No fish are used for manure except menhaden. I was ready to 

 give two dollars a barrel for scup, and they were not worth that for 

 manure. That was the lowest price this year. The highest price was 

 five dollars at the traps. We get in New York just what the commis- 

 sion merchants are a mind to pay us. Sometimes we do pretty well, 

 and sometimes not. The scup are packed in bulk in ice, and sent to 

 New York or Philadelphia. A common sloop-smack from New Loudon 

 carries about 100 barrels. 



Question. Supposing that it is decided to try any experiments with 

 traps, in the way of legislation, is there any compromise that can be 

 made between no traps at all or all that people choose to put down ; 

 would it be expedient to attempt any limitation of the length of the 

 leader, the size of mesh, and time of keeping them down ! 



Answer. I judge that a limitation of time would be best. 



Question. What would be best, so many weeks or so many days in a 

 month ? 



Answer. I should say, so many days. They run about a month, and 

 then the fishing in traps is all over — from the 20th of April to the 20th 

 of May. 



Question. Suppose it should be said that no fish should be taken from 

 noon on Saturday to noon on Monday ; would that be acceptable ? 



Answer. It ought to be ; and it ought to be made acceptable. Now, 

 although half the men go home Saturday noon, the rest will make up 

 a gang and fish Sunday, and find a fellow with a smack, to whom they 

 will sell their catch, and then divide what they get, and thus make the 

 share of each greater than that of the rest of the gang. 



Question. How could you treat a trap or pound so that they could 

 not catch any fish ? 



Answer. Have it hauled up. We haul our pound up with a long line, 

 leaving the bottom up about two fathoms. 

 S. Mis. 61 2 



