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New England catch of mackerel-amount of inspected barrels packed at home ports, as reported to the Boston Fish Bureau, 1881.

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1 Numerous vessels from other ports included.

2 Part of the catch landed at Boston and Portland. Amount given packed at home port. 8 None packed at home port.

The shore fleet mentioned above are only the vessels that fished nowhere else; to which may be added the Southern and North Bay fleets after they returned from their unsuccessful cruise in those waters, making the total shore fleet 298 sail.

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Year.

Massachusetts catch of mackerel for seventy-eight years, 1804-1881.

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Massachusetts catch of mackerel for seventy-eight years, 1804–1881—Continued.

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EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOSTON FISH BUREAU, JANUARY, 1883.

REPORT.

269,495

OFFICE OF BOSTON FISH BUREAU,
Boston, January 1, 1883.

In presenting our eighth annual report we take pleasure in once more reporting the fishing industry of New England in a more flourishing condition than for many years. The season just closed has been a successful and prosperous one to the producer, and a steady, healthy demand with no failures of note has given the dealers no cause for complaint. The leading varieties of fish, with the regularity of the seasons, appeared in large bodies, each giving promise of more than an average catch. As the season advanced the catch, from numerous causes, fell off much from general expectation, yet meeting the demands of the trade and holding prices firm all the season. The dark side of the business must yearly be noticed. The losses of life and property the past year have been, with the exception of 1876 and 1879, the largest for many years. Seventeen vessels and 117 men have been lost during the year, all of which were in the cod or ground fishery, and nearly all from the single port of Gloucester; not any vessels or lives were lost in the mackerel fishery. Larger stocks have been made the past season than ever before known. We notice specially only two engaged in the mackerel catch; schooner Edward E. Webster, Capt. Soloman Jacobs, of Gloucester, sailed March 11, and hauled up November 11, just eight months engaged; her catch realized, gross, $39,750, or net $34,329; she carried a crew of 17 men. The stock of this vessel for the two previous years in the mackerel fishery was in 1880, $19,850; 1881, $26,950. The schooner Nellie N. Rowe, of the same port, made a stock the past year nearly if not quite as large; we regret not having the exact amount.

Our table of large stocks in the mackerel fishery mention over thirty others who have realized what would have been considered small fortunes not many years ago. The list might be extended to greater length; suffice to say, all done well.'

Many vessels in the cod and halibut fishery also have large records. We only notice a few of them. Schooner Grace L. Sears, of Gloucester, from December 31, 1881, to December 4, 1882, stocked in the halibut fishery, net, $26,426.81; the crew of 14 men shared $916.11 each. Schooner H. B. Grifin, of the same port, caught 400,000 pounds of cod on the Banks, the largest single fare reported from that port. Schooner Willie McKay, of Provincetown, 436,800 pounds of codfish, stock about $19,000 for a single voyage. Many other vessels from the last port arrived home from the Banks with 250,000 to 300,000 pounds of cod each, realizing from $12,000 to $16,000 each.

With the success of the past two seasons it is not surprising that great confidence is felt in the future of the New England fisheries.

With present appliances for the catch not as many vessels are needed as in days of drailing and hand-line fishing, yet the cod and mackerel fleets have been largely increased and many more new vessels will be finished in time for the coming season's business. During the past year 81 vessels have been built for the fishing fleets. Yearly more attention appears to be given to the fishing business as one of the important industries of the country, and with the growth annually the demand increases for the products of the fisheries. The nation is largely indebted to Prof.

Spencer F. Baird, Commissioner of United States Fisheries, for both the scientific knowledge and practical application of the propagation of the various food fishes of the United States, by which assurances are given that the steady growing demands of the country may be met. Through the reports of his field agents, made in the interest of the United States Census and Fish Commission, we, for the first time, have the opportunity of knowing the size and importance of the industry. As a matter of interest we have given the aggregate reports, which do not include the Gulf States or the large rivers of the interior. On pages 30 to 33 will be found the names of the leading fish taken south of New York and the catch for 1880. As so little is known of the fisheries in those waters we give the list entire.

Mackerel. The total catch by the New England fleet amounted to 378,853 inspected barrels; of this 258,717 barrels are credited to Massachusetts. This amount has been exceeded but eight times during the past fifty years. The early fleet sailed from home ports in March, more vessels going South than for many years. The schooner Nellie N. Rowe took the first fare on March 31; the fish were of mixed sizes. First catch in 1881 was March 22. The first mackerel taken in the weirs at Cape Cod, April 20; previous year, on May 4. The first fare of salt mackerel direct from the fishing grounds arrived at Boston on May 4; in 1881, May 9. The fish were found quite plenty, and worked north slowly. The vessels that made an early start were more successful than for a number of years.

The season's catch is noticeable as having been of larger size and poorer quality than the previous year. As the season advanced the fish did not improve as usual, the fall catch being inferior to that of midsummer. The schooner Yankee Lass, of Boston, was the only vessel from the United States that fished in provincial waters; she returned with 275 barrels.

The catch by the provincial fishermen was the smallest for years, and accounts for the large decrease in the amount imported at this port. Prices have held firm, with an upward tendency from the first of the season, and much higher than the previous year, selling uninspected in June at $4; July, $6 to $7; August, $8 to $9; inspected selling in August, $6, $9, $12; September, $7, $10, $13; and in October and later, at $8, $11, $14, for No. 1's, 2's, and 3's. During September the catch rapidly fell off, with few fish caught in October, and the fleet early gave it up. Although the total catch was extra large, a steady demand prevented any large accumulation; only a small amount remained on hand at the close of the year.

Codfish. The total catch of cured fish by the New England fleet was 663,564 quintals of codfish, and 235,340 quintals of bake, haddock, pollock, and cusk; total of 898,904 quintals. The Grand Bank fleet, with few exceptions, made but one trip, returning with full fares. The catch of cod on Georges Banks and off the New England shore was less than the average. Hake have been more plenty than for many years. The shore catch of herring was much under the average.

Box herring.-Have been in larger receipt than any year that we have a record of; a steady demand has called for them on arrival and no amount of stock remains on hand.

Canned fish.-During the past few years this comparatively new branch of the business has grown to large size and importance.

In former years fresh fish often arrived on the market largely in excess of the demand, and had to be sold for almost nothing or thrown away; often the latter. Now the canners are always ready to take the catch at good prices, thereby adding thousands of dollars to the receipts of the fishermen as well as giving employment to a large number of hands on shore. As far back as 1844 fresh fish were canned in Boston, but only to a very limited extent up to 1880, since which time the amount canned is only limited by the supply of fish. The favor which it meets on the market speaks for itself, when, for self-protection, Boston firms in taking orders have been obliged to adopt the rule on receiving them, only, "subject to the pack," which in turn is subject to the abundance of the catch. The packing of American sardines may date from Eastport, Me, in 1876, in which year 4,000 cases were packed, mostly quarter cans packed in oil, 100 cans in a case. Yearly the business has grown until in 1881, fifteen factories at Eastport and three at Lubec packed 190,000 cases, three-fourths of which were quarter boxes packed in oil, 100 cans in a case; one-eighth half cans in mustard, 50 cans in a case; one-eighth spiced sardines and sea trout. The past season, owing to the scarcity of fish, only 125,000 cases were packed, giving employment to 500 men and 700 boys and girls in addition to the fishermen engaged in providing the catch. The foreign export trade has been smaller than for many years, especially the trade with Haiti, severe sickness in that island and the low prices prevailing here for coffee and logwood combining to produce this result. The smallness of this branch of trade, however, has not been felt by the dealers, owing to the unusually large home demand. Other branches of the trade are without special note.

During the past year the Boston market has, at nearly all times, been able to supply the country with everything in the way of salt-water fish, be it cured, canned, or fresh, and, as it is the only city that can do this, it continues to hold its old-time prestige as a distributing point, both for domestic and imported fish. This fact is fully appreciated by the trade, as shown by the large receipts and the small amount of stock on hand at the close of the past year.

The new year opens with a small amount of stock on hand and an improved financial condition of both producer and dealer as the result of the year's business, thus giving renewed hope and encouragement to all interested in this important branch of the New England industries. We trust the day is far remote when less can be said for its prosperity.

W. A. WILCOX, Secretary.

New England fleet, catch of cod and other ground fish, landed at home ports, as reported by the Boston Fish Bureau.

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1 Part of catch landed at other than home port.

2 Includes North Bay catch, by 14 sail, 9,950 quintals.

8 Includes North Bay catch, by 1 sail, 350 quintals.

Halibut fleet included in vessels, catch 7,750,685 pounds; amount landed includes vessels from other ports.

Catch of small boats included.

150 small sail and boats; total men fishing, 500.

7 Includes receipts from vessels of other ports.

Includes New Harbor, Browns Cove, and Monhegan, 50 small sail.

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