Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-18
BY TELEGRAPH.
wHsas 10 nackEafL COZ
The End Of a Great Season Reyises an O'd
Fish Mystefy-


6KogcH-T&E. Macs. on. ls.-Where
naek erssl ~ for the winter IS one OF .ne
fish ssss stsTi.s. When the first sifaw Mrs
in fs,e Esy Of Fsnas niackerei disappear
They are abundant in the Gulf OF St
I.assese. anil Of NeA foun3iani aStis fiisf
time. pla.np ami iaiey aai very tootsasosfs.
the result of having fed sch on their f'sf2ra-
ton naftisssrl- Tn next seen of tssen y
in March, 90 C.spsa iiafieras- All Their
piampne-s i then gone, as II Ties hai
eaten nothing al siatfr. There Il s.ais
grow Ii, over their erss. which EeariF biIfids
them. Nobody hose palate has been
taught 70 hat good maekerel are cares TO cal
such fish. Macy old fishermen think the
flesh tastes Of mud in the spring.
Dae theory in regard to ttais u that the
mackerrl 20 into the mud ia winter ami re-
main there, anl that this has the eject OF
producing a cataract growth. or scale, for
the protection Of the eye, and Of impartins
an earthy taste to the flesh. Maekerel have
been speared in the Bay of fundy by men
who s.,,t through the ice to look for fish.
Occasionally a maekerel has been found IN
mud. but cases of this kind are SO rare that
they fail TO establish am rule in regard to
the habits of the fish.
The only certainty is that naaekcrel dis
appear from all waters visited by fishing
vessels from late in tine fall until early in
spring. The fish naturally low. the shore
and is 70 he found close To Tan in the reg
alar season. Since fishing vessels cover
this ground al the year roua1. II Is safe to
suppose that if maekerel were there they
would he caught AT times ont OF season. Ii
the fish GO into deep water in the winter
and move -eawasI, they put asi e entirely
the habit. that have been observed IN re-
gard to them aud ia TIL winter time ac-
quire traits to which they seem to be in
natelY averse IL the varaa-u Gather months.
Mackerel do not like cold water, and il is
not believed that they renaln IN the north
eru bays through the winter. There is
certainly no explanation, If it he assumed
that they make their inter homes of New
founilanl, for their appearance in leti-
tudp much further south in the spring
Canadian ii-hernien have several times
tried ia make trouble over mackerel catches.
ina. chc>erel rcma;n in northern
waters ~ their natural habitat, and that the
coming up from Hatteras are not
at all the same fish found in the Bay of
Fundy This theory has not been ac-
L. y IL,
and the claims of the Canadians do not
seem plausible enough to have justified any
action by the authorities of the Dominion.
The season now closing has been the
most Successful of that of any year since
1855. The aggregate catch for the season,
which began in June. will he about 10000
barrels for Gloucester vessels alone. 1t is
estimated that possibly 1000 or 5000 barrels
may have been taken by fishing vessels
from other ports. This catch will be nearly
double that of last year and about six times
that of 1890. Boats will continue to 90 for
nackerel for several weeks but the season
is practically over. Reports from fishing
vessels nov in are that the mackerel are
evidently getting ready for winter quarters.
Since the last appearance of this fish is in
the Bay of st. Lawrence, ali the mackerei
vessels that are still out are looking for
catches there.
This wears catch has been remarkably
good for quality as well as quantity of fish
Market mackerel are divided into four
sizes-blinks, or fish a year old, and weigh
ing from one To one and a half pounds ::
thinkers, or two-year-old fish No. ., or
three-y ear olls, and full grown fish of four
wears old or over. Very large and plump
fish are put up in size called extras. Ac-
cording to quality, they are salable in the
market at from, s. to SIP per barrel,
averaging, probably, about $40. In years
of great scarcity they have brought as high
as Sis per barrel, but the extra price has
never compensated for small catches.
Mackerel fishing is one of the most prof
liable of the tisherman's pursuits The
trips are not usually long, and the market
is always ready one. Vessels have made
good trips in as short time as week, and
the average mackerel trip does not last
more than a fortnight. A good trip means
catch of 100 barrels of niackerel or more,
running as high as 800 barrels. Allowing
one-half to the owner and ) per cent. of
the total to the skipper, there often remains
from 500 to $1,000 to be divided among a
vessels crew The crews consist of from
lG to n men, according TO the
size of the vessel. A the fishermen who
have been out for nackerel this year have
brought in good fares, and there is more
money among the sailors than there has
been for long time. The tradesmen who
carry on a credit business with the families
Of fishermen are now closing up their ac-
counts. and many Gloucester home will
he provided this fall with extra comforts.
\ few years ago there seemed to be
danger that mackerel were running out.
Congress passed law forbdding fishing
for them until June for five years. That
limit has now expired, and no doubt the
Gloucester fleet, encouraged by this season.
great catch. will be seen off IIatteras in
March looking for mackercl.