Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-15
sc,aRciri OF MAckERsL.
The Once Popular Fish Being Caught l,
Fewer Numbers Every Year.

Inc OncB fOputHr rIsn betHE ChuEut I'm
Fewer Numbers Every Year.
Baltimore Sun.
Mackerel, the leading saltwater fish
OF the world, sold everywhere at all
tipes, are growing scarcer and scarcer,
while prices are mounting at rapid
rate.
Everyone eats mackerel when he can
get it, In years gone by it was
regular dish on the table of many poor
families, when there was an abundance
of the fish aud low prices prevailed.
Invalids and dyspeptics demanded
uachercl because of its appetizing
/ qualities. Others, who need not search
for appetites, enjoyed mackerel simply
because it was delightful fish. The
day, however, when the poor man can
have mackerel on his table as "a regular
thing, is past and this popular fish is
rapidly becoming u rarity.
q Wholesale dealers say that the de-
crease in the catch from year to year
has been phenomenal and that SO great
has the supply fallen off that it is now
| impossible to supply the demand OF
the public, which is enormous. The
| consequence Of this state of affairs is
| that the cost of a barrel of mackerel
has risen to many times its former
! figure and many persons have been
obliged to cut it oil their menu. Fifteen
years ago, it is stated, the catch on
| the American coast alone, along the
Massachusetts and Maine shores and
! from somo of the provinces, averaged
anywhere from 100000 to 400, 600 in u
season. There was then no need to- I'M
| port mnckerel and dealers here wore
sending shipments of this popular fish
acress the waters to the other side.
Maclserol sold in those days, according
to size, from So to So barrel. Only
the very fine, largo mackerel brought
the latter price. III
4 About IL years ago the decrease in
supply started and has not yet been
stopped. The catch of every season for
tho last dozen years has been growing,
less until, il is said, the average catch
on tho American coast for the last TIVE
years has been only from 10000 to 80,
600, and the price of mackerel at pre-
sent ranges from 500 to $50 q barrel.
Since the small catch hero has begun
to make itself felt mackerel from Ire
4 land aud Norway have commenced %
DO taken in large quantities, although
oven with their help the figures Of
catches of former years cannot DO APP
pronehed. The Irish fishermen formerly
used TO send their fish fresh and un.
snlted 10 London for sale, but since the
demand in America they have taken tc
sailing and curing the fish and shipping
direct from the Irish shores to points
in the United States. The quality oil
the Irish mackerel and their methods
! OF curing are said to be excellent ant
the fish received from thero IRE nov
, clniInod to be oven better than tint
n New England fish and far superior tc
i that of the provinces. Tho IyisE
mackcrel also outclass tho NORWAY
: inackerel in the fact that they are
better cured and have q brighter color
/. No reason for the decrease in inackcre
in American waters has been hit upoi
by local fishermen or local fish doqlers
Theories have been advanced, tn,
most generally accepted of which i
that tho falling off in the catch is du
4 to The methods of fishing now prevail
t ing. In the times OF tho great plent,
n OF maclerel tho fishing was done viii
: the hook and limo, but the presen
r method of catching mackerel il viii
. tho soine A crow goes out in tn
4 ocean with vessel and their huge sein
n and make efforts to capture Who'll
schools of the fish. Tho result is tina
i. fishermen now report that the mackere
| arc very wild and most difficult to sc
s around with q seine. 1t il much haroe
to mako catch now than u few year
n buck. and by some it is claimed TIL
a Wholesale SEEMING is tho chief reaso
o why the catch has so decreased