60 



HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



are 13 inches long, but are poor. And the fourth contains those which are under 13 inches 



and poor. 



After the 1st of July, the fishermen at Provincetown cease to catch this species in 

 nets ; it now readily takes the hook, and is captured along our coast in immense quanti- 

 ties. Captain Atwood informs me, that in 1845 the mackerel-fishery yielded the fisher- 

 men at Long Point two thousand dollars. 



It is calculated that from six to eight thousand barrels of mackerel are annually sold 

 fresh in Boston market alone. But their great value arises from the employment afforded 

 by them to such a number of persons, in the process of salting and packing, requiring 

 mechanics of various descriptions, and seamen to manage the vessels which transport 

 them from place to place. 



The number of barrels of mackerel inspected in Massachusetts from the years 1831 to 

 1847 was as follows: — 



1831, . . 383,559 



1839, 



73,018 





1832, . . . 224,000 



1840, . 



. 50,992 





1833, . . 226,000 



1841, 



55,637 





1834, . . . 253,000 



1842, . 



. 75,543 





1835, . . 197,000 



1843, 



64,451 





1836, . . . 180,616 



1844, . 



. 86,181 





1837, . . 138,167 



1845, 



202,303 





1838, . . . 108,358 



1846, . 



. 174,064 





Those packed ia 1836 were furnished by 



the following towns : — 







Barrels. 







Barrels. 



Boston, .... 40,559 



Scituate, 



» « 



3,782 



Gloucester and Manchester, . 43,937 



Yarmouth, 



• * 



2,446 



Newburjport and Newbury, . 21,463 



Salem and Beverly, 



• • 



2,394 



Wellfleet, .... 17,600 



Plymouth, 



• • 



1,477 



Provincetown, . . . 14,139 



Lynn, . 



• . 



1,400 



Hingham, .... 13,882 



Duxbury, 



• . 



1,000 



Cohasset, .... 11,700 



Charlestown, 



• . 



822 



Barnstable, . . . . 4,115 









At the prices these fish were worth in November, 1836, the value of the year's fishing 

 amounted to ^ 1,264,012 dollars. 



Mr. Solomon Lincoln, of Hingham, wrote me that the number of barrels of mackerel 

 taken at that place in 1837 was 17,134i; and that he estimated the gross proceeds of 

 the mackerel fishery of that place for that year at ^116,000. 



