390 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
paid to the appearance and keeping qualities of the product. In curing codtish for 
the New England trade about 64 per cent of the moisture is removed — 59 per cent by 
the salting and 5 per cent by pressing and drying. 100 imuuds of split cod contain 
about 80 pounds of water; and, in the process of curing, 51 pounds are removed by 
the action of the salt and 4.] pounds by pressure and drying. Norwegian stockfish has 
been freed from about 96 per cent of moisture by atmospheric drying alone. 
The principal marine products to which this process is applied are cod, hake, 
haddock, cusk, pollock, mullet, shrimp, channel bass, barracuda, bonito, and salmon, 
but as its application to the cod and its related species is the most extensive and 
valuable, the methods of treating those species will be first described. 
DRIED CODFISH. 
In speaking of codfish generally the various species of Oadidm common on the 
New England coast are usually referred to, the most important being the cod {Gadus 
callarias), haddock [Melanogrammns (cgUfinus), jiollock [PollaeMus virens), hake {Mer- 
lucius hiliuearis), and cusk {Brosmius brosme). The proportion of these entering into 
the dried-fish trade is about as follows: Cod, 83 percent; hake, 10 percent; haddock, 
3 per cent; pollock, 3 per cent, and cusk, 1 per cent. 
The greater portion of the dry-salted codfish in America is obtained from the 
bank fisheries, esiiecially from Grand Banks and vicinity. Many are also received 
from Georges and other neighboring banks, representing the surplus from the fresh-fish 
trade. Gloucester is the principal market for this article, while Portland, Province- 
town, Boston, Boothbay Harbor, and other ports hamlle large quantities. 
In large ports, especially Gloucester and Boston, most of the product is prepared as 
boneless fish, but in the smaller places the fish are usually dried more thoroughly for 
distant markets. During the eighteenth century and the early part of the present cen- 
tury codfish were prepared largely for export, and consequently were made quite dry, so 
as to keep for several mouths in warm, moist climates. At present, however, the great 
bulk of the product is intended for domestic cousumiition and is not so thoroughly dried. 
It was formerly customary for United States fishermen on the Grand Banks and in 
the Gulf of St. Lawrence to land on the rocky shores of Newfoundland and other Brifish 
Provinces to cure their fish. In that case the fish were split, salted, and kenched in 
the vessel while on the banks, and on lauding they were dried upon the rocky beaches. 
After curing the fish many of the vessels carried them directly from the provinces to 
Spanish and other ports, where they were sold and a return cargo of merchantable 
products was brought home. The privilege of landing to cure fish was considered 
quite valuable and occasioned much international controversy. By the treaty of 1818 
the fishermen of the United States were allowed to land and cure their fish within 
certain prescribed limits, which were increased in extent by the Washington treaty 
of 1871. But during recent years this privilege has been of no value, as the fishermen 
have brought all their catch directly home to be prepared by regular fish-curers. 
The present process of curing cod, haddock, hake, cusk, and pollock, which is 
essentially the same as that in vogue a century ago, except in the amount of drying, 
is as follows, this description being especially applicable to the fishery on the Grand 
Banks and to the preparation of fish for the domestic trade: 
The dressing is begun as soon as the dories retui n to the vessel, or as soon as the 
day’s work is over when fishing from the vessel’s deck or from shore boats. Unless 
