The Republican journal., 1882-11-30
The Mackerel Fishery.

GREAT SOURCE OF WEALTH. THE MODE OF
CAPTURE, PAST AND PRESENT. THE NORTH
HAVEN MACKEREL FLEET WHAT BELFAST
OUGHT TO DO. LARGE STOCKS.
No branch of business in the past few years
has undergone such radical change as in the
mode of capturing fish. This is particularly
true with regard to mackerel. Formerly mack
erel were caught with hook and line. The salt
ed menhaden were used as bait This was
ground fine in a MILL mixed with water to the
consistency of paste, and thrown overheard in
small quantities to toll the fish. The schooner
was shove to" with her jibs hauled down. the
fore sheet flowing and the main boom guyed
out-which caused the vessel to make dead
drift to leeward. Mackerel would be attracted
by the bait thrown overheard. and invariably
seek the fountain head which brought them
alongside the vessel. 1t was then the crew at
the rail with their jigs and lines caught such as
would bite. 1t was not every day the fish would
take the hook, but when they did the work was
lively. The great fishing grounds We're the
Gulf of st. Lawrence and the Bay of ChaIeurs.
Mackerel every year frequented the New Eng
land coasts and the Bay of Fundy, but, save by
few Cape Codmen, We're little sought after.
From 800 to 600 barrels of mackerel was con
sdered a good seasons work.
Now everything is changed. Few vessels
visit the Gulf of st. Lawrence, the fishing be
ing confined 10 the coasts of the United States.
Ia the summer season rs many as 800 fishing
vessels may be seen off our coast. their white
sails and yacht like huls making handsome
marine picture. Hooks, lines and bait are no
longer used and are seldom found on board.
Every fishing vessel carries seine with which
the fish are caught. The fish are captured night
or day. whenever they come to the surface \
seine is long net with floats at the top and
sinkcrs at the bottom. This is to keep it dis
tended in the water. line called the purse
line runs through rings along the bottom of the
seine, with which the net is drawn up like Il
bag. Whenever shoal of mackerel is seen on
the surface the seine is thrown around them
and pursed up at the bottom, by which opera
ton the whole shoal is captured. The schooner
comes alongside and the fish are taken on board
with dip-nets. III this manner hundreds of
barrels are caught at one cast of the net. Often
the fish escape before the seine is purScd up.
and then the fisherman has his labor for his
pains.
North Haven is the great fishing port of Pc
nobscot Bay. Here are owned Il dozen as fine
mackerel catcherS as can be found anywhere,
and as many more bankers. The bankers have
done a good seasons work. but the mackerel
fishermen have been exceptionally fortunate.
Through the courtesy of Mr. George f. Lewis.
of that town. we are enabled to give interesting
statistics of the mackere fishery carried on
there. Eleven vessels have landed this season
1915 barrels of mackerel. stocking in the ag-
gregate, Sll6,500, or an average of Sl0,59l.
The following is detailed statement
Sch. Willie X. Parkman. - tons. Capt. Viii
liam II. Banks, with crew of fourteen men,
landed 2,0l3 bbls., stocking 5l4. 300. The crew
shared S43S each.
Sch. Cora L. Smith. - tons. Capt. Joseph
Crockett, with crew of fourteen men. landed
I.S46 bbls., stocking S13,500. The crew shared
S4l3 each.
Sch. Bartie Pierce. 90 tons, Capt. Aaron
Smith, with Il crew Of fifteen men. landed | 800
bbl>., stocking Sill 800. The crew shared $500
each
sth. Sea Foam, 20 tons Capt sanford Coop
bbl>., Stocking Sll 400, The crew Shared $3.50
each.
Sch. Alice {. Fox, 81 tons. Capt. James l..
Crockett. with crew of fifteen men, landed
1900 bbls., stocking $4,000 The crew shared
$500 each.
Sch. Oasis. 81 tons, Capt, Ruel X. Mills. With
a crew of fourteen men, landed 1900 bbls.
stocking $40 400. The crew shared 800 each.
Sch. Roger Williams. 56 tons. Capt. Stephen
;. Lewis, with a crew of twelve men, a portion
OF the time thirteen, landed 400 bbls., stocking
$4,000. The crew shared S3o3 each.
Sch. Lottie +. Hopkins - tons, Capt Emery
Hopkins. with a crew of twelve men, landed
l4o0 bbl>.. stocking - 800 The crew shared
500 each. This vessel did not start until MAY
18th.
Sch. Eben Dale, - tons, Capt. r. &. Bah
bidge, with 4 crew of thirteen men, landed 1900
bDls., stocking $4,000. The crew shared $3.50
each.
Sch. Henry Nickerson, A tons. Capt. Frank
lin Thomas. with crew of fourteen men.
landed 1886 bbls., stocking $500 The crew
shared $3.50 each. This vessel did not start
until July 4th.
Sch. David Brown. Jr. 81 tons. Capt.
jerome b. Thomas. with crew Of thirteen men.
landed 1900 bbl>, stocking 5000 The crew
shared $3.50 each. This vessel did not start UNI
til June 2Oth.
The fishing season began April lst ana ended
Nov 1st