Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-07-15
The Mackerel Fisheries.

The MaCkerel Fisheries.
Probably but few are aware of the
great extent of the mackerel and other
fisheries of this country It has been es-
timated that during the summer months,
or rather between June and November.
more than twenty thousand vessels are
constantly engaged in the different kinds
Of fisheries, employing no less than $780,
600 men. By a treaty with great Britain,
American vessels are allowed the privi-
lege of fishing within certain limits of the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the quantity of
fish taken from this place alone, is truly
astonishing. The coast Of Newfoundland
yields its Goldfish to the hardy sailor from
May until December, while the better
class Of mackerel are taken from August
to October. Many mackerel, however, of
proper class, are taken along the South
ern shore of our own country prior to this,
but as general thing they are deemed
worthy of little notice. The Bay of
Chaleur, along the coast of Prince Ed
wards Island, the Magdalen Islands and
Northumberland Straits, are considered
the choicest mackerel grounds. Here the
feet Of vessels congregated at one time
will often amount to two thousand sail, al
though as general thing not more than
( from two to four hundred vessels sail in
company. At nights, when the feet is
safely anchored, the lanteans lighted on
each vessel and swung upon the shrouds,
one may fancy they are looking upon some
huge city lying in repose, with It's lamps
all trimmed and burning.
The bait alone, which is ground up and
thrown to the fish to keep them about the
vessel, is very large item in the expense
of carrying on the trade. This is either
herring, porgies, or clans, well salted and
cleansed, put up expressly for the purpose.
! The average cost of it is about three and a
half dollars per barrel, at least two bar
rels of which are thrown away per day in
good fishing. Allowing at the time we
are in the Gulf there were two thousand
sail, you thenhave SIC, 6,000perday thrown
away to the fishes, or say 500 per YES
sci for each trip which is below the acual
amount, and we thus have the enormous
sum of 100000.
The method of taking the mackerel is
very simple. The vessel is 'hoved to, and
men are arraged on the 'windward' side
as many as can conveniently stand from
bow to stern. Each man is provided with
four lines, only two can be used in fast
fishing. On each line is attached the
hook, which is sunk into an oblong bit Of
lead called zig A barrel is placed be-
hind each man, into which the fish are
snapped as caught, the jaw tearing out
as easily as though made of paper. Ow-
ing to this tenderness of the jaw, the fish
must be hauled very carefully, though
with great rapidity. One man stands
'amidships, throwing the bait which has
been carefully ground, to keep the fish a.
bout the vessel while the hooks are baited
with any tough substance, either pork
rind bit of silver, or piece Of the
Imackerer itself. When the fish bite rap
idly, no sport is more exciting, dozen
men will often catch from thirty to fifty
barrels in an hour. When caught they
are split, gibbed, scrapped, washed in
three waters, and then salted-the whole
being done with astonishing CELEBRITY.