220 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Massachusetts. The reason, thou, is clear if you can prevent the catching of mackerel while they are 
on the coast of the Middle States, and suffer them only to ho caught while they can he found on the 
New England shores, you deplete the market and make a demand for the large stock of mackerel now 
on the hands of the eastern fishermen and dealers which is now a drug iii the market. 
I will say, iMr. Speaker, in reference to the quality of these fish, that the fish caught and placed 
in the New York market during this week have been of the finest quality. I hold in my hand a 
message from a man who is an expert in the business, who telegraphs from Fulton Market that since 
last IMonday there came into that market 4,510 barrels of fresh mackerel; that that quantity of fresh 
mackerel was landed in Fulton, and that they were all large, line fish, readily sold to and eagerly 
bought by the people seeking fresh fish at this opportune season of the year. 
But, sir, I do not put it on that ground only; I have no doubt these fish are somewhat inferior 
in ijuality when caught early in the season. I am oijually satisfied they are healthy food; cheap and 
desirable. 
I was amazed at what my friend from Maine presented to you. He stated the cpiantity of No. 1 
mackerel compared to the whole catch years ago with the quantity of No. 1 mackerel compared to the 
whole catch at the present time, and left us to infer this grew out of this spring catch. Did he fairly 
and frankly give us the true reason for that difference? Did he tell us that the difference was because 
these large No. 1 fish were caught at that time by hook and line? But the Maine and Massachusetts 
men were not satisfied with the hook and line ; it was too slow ; and now they use the purse-net, which 
has already been graphically described to the House. With that net they surrounded a whole school 
of fish and scooped them all in, big and little. The difference in quantity was very great because 
thejr scooped them in and put them on the market without regard to size. 
Mr. Boutelle. We want to try and stop Maine and Massachusetts from doing that of which you 
complain. 
Mr. Lore. You can do that in your own State; but ymu do not propose to do so from June to 
November while they arc on your own shores, but only from March to ,Inne while they are on our coast. 
'I'he catch may be a little inferior; but let me say^ to the gentlemen of this House that the man 
who labors six days in the week, who has house rent to iiay, a wife and five or six little ones to feed, 
can not afford to liny high-price mackerel at 25 cents a pound. 
Mr. Reed, of Maine. There is where your interesting fishmongers’ association comes in, because 
the man who sells mackerel does not get more than <S cents a pound, and if the fishmongers put on 
enough to run it up to 25 cents a pound they are a nice set of people indeed. 
Mr. IjORE. Suppose this bill should be passed and no mackerel should be allowed to be caught in 
the months of March and April on the Middle States coast, and that your fisherman in Maine and 
Massachusetts should only be permitted to catch them after June, what then will be the price to which 
they will run it up? Will my friend from Maine answer? 
Mr. Reed, of Maine. We are talking of a time when No. 1 mackerel are not caught. 
Mr. Lore. Take away the mackerel coming into New York and ITiiladelphia from this summer 
catch cut off by this bill and let your New England fishermen and dealers only su])ply the mackerel to 
Philadelphia and New York, and what would be the price of No. 1 then? That is a problem I will 
leave to my friend from Maine to solve. 
Mr. Boutei.le. We can not when the mackerel are down on the coast of Delaware. 
Mr. Lore. Precisely; that is what you should not do. You take good care not to ask to do so 
while the mackerel are on the coast of Maine and Massachusetts. When gentlemen bring in a bill to 
prohibit Maine and M.assachusetts fisheiiuen from using purse-nets to scoop iu whole schools of 
mackerel, big and little, without regard to size, that will be a different proposition, and it is one for 
which I hope this House will vote. But there is no such proposition as that Iiefore the House. I have 
considered the question of the quantity and quality of mackerel which have been caught and sold for 
food. The alleged diminished supply I have already dealt with. The reason for it I have tried to 
present. Even if the questions were not embarrassed wdth doubt this House, it seems to me, Mr. 
Speaker, ought to act with great caution and hesitate to interfere with an industry as large as this is 
and involving such grave interests. There may be other objections to the passage of this bill, but 
those which have already been given, f o my mind, ought to convince you it should not pass. It seems 
to me they are unanswerable. 
What does the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. Breckinridge] himself say as to 
this? At the very outstart, at the very threshold of this question you are met by the gravest questions 
as to the right to touch it at all. In the report of the committee they say they are not entirely certain 
