Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-07
The Eiackerel Fishery.

since an account of the mackerel fishery as
carried on Gloucester Mass Thinking more
| extended notice might be interesting to our
readers, on the same subject, we haveiwritten
the following
| Probably but few are aware of the great ex-
! tent of the macIerel and other fisheries of this
country. 1t has been estimated 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 25O,-
| 600 men. BY treaty with Great Britain
American vessels are allowed the privilege of
fishing within certain limits in the Gulf of st.
Lawrence and the quantity of fish taken from
this place alone is most truly astonishing. The
coast of Newfoundland yields its'codfsh to the
hardy sailor from May until December. while
the better class of mackerel are taken from
August to October. Many mackerel, however,
of a poorer class, are taken along the Southern
shore of our own country prior to this, but as
a general thing they are deemed worthy OF
| little notice. The Bay of Chalcur, along the
coast of Prince Edwards Island, the Magdaen
Islands, Northumberland Straits, are consider
ed the choicest mackerel grounds, Here the
feet of vessels congregated at one time Will Of
ten amount to two thousand sail, although as
a general thing not more than from two to
! four hundred vessels sail IN company. At
nights, when the fleets is safely anchored, the
lanterns lighted upon each vessel and swung
upon the shrouds, one may fancy they are
| looking upon some huge city lying in repose,
with its lamps all trimmed and burning.
| The bait alone, which is ground up ard
thrown to the fish, to keep them about the
vessel, is very large item in the expense of
carving on the trade This is either herring,
poggies or clans, we'll Salted and cleaned put
up expressly for the purpose. The average
cost of it is about three and half dollars per
barrel, at least two barrels of which are thrown
away per day in good fishing. Allowing at
the time we were in the Gulf there were two
thousand sail, you then have $4,000 per day
thrown away to the fishes, or say Sl0O per YES
sci for each trip, which is below the actual
amount aud We thus have the enormous sum
of $200,000
The method of taking the mackerel is very
simple The vessel is hove to-" and men are
arranged on the windward side as many as
can conveniently stand from bow to stern.-
Each man is provided with four lines, only two
of which can be used in fast fishing. On each
line is attached the hook, which is sunk into
an oblong bit of lead called Jig" A bar
rel is placed behind each man, into which the
fish are snapped " as fast as caught, the jaw
tearing out as easily as though made OF pa
paper Owing to this tenderness of the jaw
the fish must be hauled very carefully, though
with great rapdty. One man stands " amid
ships" throwing the bait, which has been
carefully ground" to keep the fish about the
vessel, while the hooks are baited with any
tough substance, either pork rind, bit of sil-
ver or piece of the mackerel itself. When
the fish bite rapidly, no sport is more exciting
and a dozen men will often catch from thirty
to fifty barrels in an hour When caught,
they are split "gibbed," scraped, washed III
three waters, and then salted-the whole be-
ing done with astonishing celerity.
The season for mackerel is the fsherman's
holyday The work is easy, healthy and
pleasant-the weather warm, and generally
delightful Two-thirds of the time is generally
spent in idlenesss, hunting for the fish, and the
sailors lounge about, free from care, growing
I" fat, ragged and saucy"
Cape Ann and Cape Cod are the greatest
fishing ports of the Union, and at these points
scarcely aught else is heard of than the pros
pect of fish and the state of the markets.
OulIuTeH scarcely idTSe eHouSH W VAIN utS-
course upon the relative merits of Goldfish, hall
but, mackerel, &c, with a knowing air, and
the male members look forward with joyous
eagerness to the time when, as skipper" of
some bonnie craft, they shall carry death and
destruction to the fnny tribes of the great
waters.
The sound of a mackerel " Tapping upon
deck is the sweetest music to Cape Codman's
ear and Captain Davis, from Gloucester an
intelligent and capable fisherman, once assured
US that had Cape Cod skipper been dead
a week, only place him upon the deck of his
vessel, and let the mackerel dance about him.
he would at once spring to his feet, stand to
his lines, yell to his men that the mackere
had struck" and order them to cup dogs
and at 'em"
No | mackerel are eaten about the large
cities No 2 sent West aud South while No
3 being wretchedly poor and unsaleablc, are
sent to the West Indies as Injuries for the
slaves.