THE SOUTHERN SPRING MACKEREL FISHERY. 
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it seems to me that it is wrong. As to whether it affects the mackerel fishery subsequently, the fall 
fishing for mackerel, I am unable to say. 
There are different theories iu reference to the mackerel. Some fishermen whose testimony was 
taken by the committee had an idea that these fish come up from the Gulf along the shore, striking 
in about Hatteras and going all the way up. There were other persons who had the idea — and I think 
Professor Baird has that idea — that they come directly into the shore from the sea. If the latter 
theory is true, then all the argument in reference to diverting the fish is erroneous. If, on the other 
hand, it is true that the schools of fish come up from toward the Gulf and hug the shore clear up our 
coast and to Canada, then perhaps the spring fishing does divert to a certain extent the fish from our 
coast. Which of these theories is correct I am not able to say, but at any rate, if the poor people of 
the cities are to be deprived of a cheap article of food it seems to me that this proposed legislation is 
not wise. 
As to its effect upon the ultimate catch of the fish I am at a loss to determine, because that 
depends also u 2 >on the theories which are entertained in reference to the habits of these fish. If they 
make into shore from the sea, striking at Hatteras, striking along the .lersey coast, striking along the 
coast of Massachusetts and Maine from the sea, then there is no diverting the fish, if that theory be 
true, simply by fishing down about Hatteras iu the spring of the year. 
My information is that there are about a hundred vessels that go down from Gloucester and 
from other points on the New England coast* and engage iu southern tisliing; and that they do not go 
because tile owners of the boats desire that they shall go, but because the men engaged in fishing, 
the hands who do the catching^ do not wish to be lying around Gloucester all the spring waiting for 
the fall catch, but they desire to he employed. The Itill operates to the iirejudice of that class of 
men who are dependent ujmn their labor in this industry. If it is their wish to go down and lish, 
and if the jioor people of the cities are to be dejirived of a cheap food, the bill is contrary, in my 
judgment, to what is right. The poor we shall always have with us, and we ought not to legislate 
against their interests. 
I had a good deal of doulit about the justice of this pro^iosed legislation when on the committee 
last fall, after hearing the testimony of the owners of the boats, for it was the testimony of the 
owners of boats that we took as a general rule, and not of the men engaged iu actual catching, excejit 
the captains of the lioats. I do not now remember that I heard any expression of opinion from the 
captains of boats on this subject, but we did hear some opiuioiis adverse to the spring catch by the 
owners of the boats, and I think very generally the owners of the boats were ojiiiosed to that kind of 
fishing; but 1 understood distinctly from the owners themselves that they were compelled to engage 
in spring fishing because their fishermen were not willing to wait, and they had to send them out to 
gratify the men actually engaged in the fishing. 
If the statement of the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. McPherson] is correct, that it is utterly 
impossible to diminish by any catch the fish, then all the arguments in favor of a close time comes to 
naught. We have an abundance of fish during certain seasons, it is true, of certain kinds of fish, and 
at certain other seasons there is not so much. I know that iu Delaware Bay, along which I live, 
in some seasons of the year wo have the sea trout, which comes in there iu great abundance, and 
perhaps the next year there will be but few of them, so that it alternates, sometimes a full season 
of fishing and sometimes a scarcity. It is so, I believe, with shad, and it is so with herring, and I 
sup 2 )ose with every other class of fish. 
On the whole, I think I shall vote against the bill. 
Mr. Miller. Mr. President, this is a very ingenious lull. It could have had its birth nowhere 
excejit in the fertile mind of a. down-east Yankee, and if it is jiassed into a law it will undoubtedly 
succeed in accomplishing what it was intended to accomjilish, for it is very neatly drawn for that 
purpose. 
The object of the bill is to reduce the catch of mackerel from one-third to one-half of all the 
mackerel that shall be brought into our American ports during each year. The fishing season begins 
late iu March or early in April and continues uninterruptedly uj) to the 1st of June, and through 
June, July, August, September, October, and November, even to December, as the Senator from 
Michigan says; but during the month of .lune and a portion of .July the fish disappear and the catch 
is small. Heretofore the principal catch of mackerel has been made off our coast during the months 
of March, April, and May. 
Mackerel fishing has been a very important industry. It has given emjiloymeut to a very large 
number of hardy seamen. There are engaged in the business, I think, nearly two hundred vessels. 
