BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 1885 Page 162
NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES FROM JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31,
By W. A. WILCOX.
The winter fishing by the New England fleets is confined to the Georges Bank cod, haddock, and halibut fleets, the frozen-herring catch of Grand Manan, Bay of Fandy, and Fortune Bay, Newfoundland. With the exception of vessels engaged in supplying the large fresh-fish markets of Boston and New York, and a few sail from the Provinces, the winter fishing is confined to vessels from Gloucester. A large part of the catch sold at the leading fresh-fish markets is also made by vessels from that port. The catch of codfish and mackerel during 1884 having been ex- ceptionally large and prices lower than for years, not much encourage- ment was felt to enhage in the dangerous winter fishing. The report for January shows few sail and light receipts.
SHORE COD-FISHERY. Thirty-two sail from Gloucester have followed the near-home shore fishery for ground fish, the catch being made in Ipswich Bay and landed at Portsmouth, Rockport, and Gloucester. During the past winter, up to the middle of March, the entire catch was
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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 1885
made by gill-nets; after that date nets and trawls were both used. The history of the introduction of the gill-nets by the United States Fish Commission has been published, and it only remains to add that yearly they seem to grow in favor, and well they may, the catch by them being larger and better fish than by trawls when used side by side, and the saving of thousands of dollars for bait. It would be an interesting item to know just how much has been saved in the purchase of bait since the first use of gill-nets. We must be content by saying it is a large sum.
The catch of the past winter shows a gain over that of the previous year. During March the amount landed at this port by 32 sail was 101,000 pounds of cod caught in gill-nets and 116,000 pounds of cod caught by trawlers. Vessels averaged 6,000 pounds to a trip.
The amount landed at Portsmouth and Rockport during March, all made by gill-nets, was as follows:
For the week ending:..............Pounds
March 7 ................................84,000
March 14 ........................... 245,000
March 21.............................230,000
March 28 ..............................82,000
Total ...................................641,000
MACKEREL FISHERY OF 1885. Of late years, each spring the mackerel fleet starts south for the spring catch at an earlier date than the previous year. This year the first vessel to sail, the Mollie Adams, left Gloucester March 4; others soon followed. April l finds 83 sail on the ground from that port, and, including all other ports, 125 sail.
The first to arrive with fish were schooners Nellie N. Rowe and Emma Brown. They arrived at New York March 30, with 200 and 125 barrels of fresh mackerel of mixed sizes, mostly small, caught on March 26th and 27th, 30 miles south of Cape Henry. Numerous other vessels arrived the following week, mostly with small fares of from 50 to 150 bar- rels each of fresh mackerel, of small size and inferior quality.
The first fresh mackerel landed at New York in 1884 was on March 24, and in 1883 on March 31.
As the season advances, the fleet will be increased to its usual size; a number of new vessels being added, and by those at present engaged in other branches of the fisheries.
FROZEN HERRING.-This branch of the fishery business is of value as furnishing a cheap food to the masses, as well as supplying the winter fleets engaged in the cod, haddock, and halibut fisheries with the best of fresh bait. Bulletin Volume 4 of the United States Fish Commission dates the first venture of a frozen-herring trip as the winter of 1853. Since that time it has grown to large size and importance; each year finds more vessels engaged and receipts proportionately larger.
The Bay of Fundy and Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, are the great centers of the catch, whi¢h is made by the native fishermen living in
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Page 164 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION.
the vicinity, and by them sold to the vessels, mostly from Gloucester, that visit the fishing sections for cargoes. , ,
FORTUNE BAY, NEWFOUNDLAND. During the past winter all the vessels from the United States that engaged in the Newfoundland herring fishery belonged to the port of Gloucester, the first to sail leaving that port November 24; the fleet numbered 22 sail. One vessel went ashore and returned in ballast. Three cargoes arrived at Gloucester and one at New York in vessels owned in Nova Scotia, making 26 sail engaged in the business. One vessel made two trips, all others only one, making 25 cargoes that reported at Gloucester and one at New York direct.
The first to return arrived at Gloucester January 3; the last cargo arrived March 16.
Herring were reported fully as plenty as in past years, but having struck in earlier than usual, they were the most abundant before the arrival of the fleet to buy them. Most of the fleet secured full cargoes, a few of them only partial fares. All were bought of the native fishermen, vessels from the United States not trying to catch any. Total amount reported arriving at Gloucester, 25 cargoes by 24 sail, aggregating 8,995,000 fish. The cargo direct to New York had 420,000 fish, and comprises the total receipts from Fortune Bay.
Of the vessels reporting at Gloucester, 16 sail disposed of their cargoes at Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.
BAY OF FUNDY: Twenty-four vessels from Gloucester and 10 from Maine reported at the former port with cargoes of frozen herring purchased at Grand Manan and vicinity. These 34 sail landed 42 cargoes; aggregating 10,888,000 fish.
Quite an amount also arrived at Boston by rail and steamer. One vessel from that port also landed a cargo, but the bulk of the business is covered by the amount mentioned.
This large amount of frozen fresh fish was taken by the fresh-fish trade, and by them distributed all over the country, as well as supplying the market-boats and fleets engaged in the winter fisheries with fresh bait. During the season herring were found in average abundance.
GEORGE'S BANK FISHERIES. The large fresh-fish markets look to this bank for most of their winter supply of cod, haddock, and halibut. The reputation for George's boneless or prepared salt codfish is well known as the best, always commanding extra prices over all other salt codfish, and calling for a large amount.
The general depression in trade and much lower prices than usual account for a much smaller fleet during January than usual. Only 22 vessels from Gloucester were engaged duriug that month; in February, 60 sail; and March found the fleet increased to 103 sail.
During February cod and haddock were very plenty, halibut an average catch. During March the catch of cod fell off nearly one-half, and halibut seemed to have almost entirely disappeared, very few being caught.
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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 1885
Page 165
NEW VESSELS AND PROSPECTS. The record of the past year may be given as anything but favorable or encouraging for the future. It may appear strange and certainly unfortunate that a year of unusual abundance and large productions should financially be one of very little, if any, profit, and in many cases of losses. This is accounted for from many causes--a general depression in trade and consequent shrinkage in values, large productions of the leading fisheries, inferior size and quality of the mackerel catch, and the importation of foreign fish free of duty. With all of these drawbacks and discouragements, a ray of light is seen in the near termination of the Washington Treaty and hopes of some protection in the future, as well as of better prices and quality in the catch of 1885.
The number of vessels fishing on the Grand Banks will be less than last year; the near-home and mackerel fleets will probably be somewhat larger.
Quite an addition of new vessels will be added to the fleet. Essex, Mass., has launched four, and now has ten more on the stocks that will soon be engaged in the fisheries. Other eastern ports will also furnish a number of new vessels for the fisheries.
The number of vessels from Gloucester engaged in the fisheries March 31, 1885, is as follows:
George's Bank, cod,and halibut......................................103
Shore, cod.....................................................................32
Bank, cod and halibut .....................................................47
Bank, halibut .................................................................30
Mackerel ..................................................................... 83
Total ....... ...................................................................295
All of the above are actively engaged, the bank fleet fishing on the Grand and Western Banks.
April will find large additions to the above and the full fleets in operation, courageously looking forward for better times and a more prosperous season.
TABLE I Fish receipts at Gloucester during January, February, and March.
Year. ............................................Codfish.................Halibut..............Number of frozen herring.
......................................................Pounds.................Pounds.
1885 ........................................... 5, 684,900............1,180,700............. 19,883,000
1884 ............................................5,630,000.............1,209,100..............11,730,000
1883 ............................................4,318,000.............1,207,893..............16,549,000
1882 ............................................5,229,000.............1,026,100..............18,084,000
1881 ............................................7,381,000.............2,377,900..............11,520,000
1880 ............................................7,854,000.............1,881,000................8,500,000
1879 ............................................4,254,000.............3,286,000............... 6,290,000
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