New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-14


was thought later. was the wholesale trade in
Maine Large quantities of mackerel had been
sailed there, and by preventing the taking Of
fresh fish 1t was hoped that the sailed stock
would rise in value Thomas b. Reed fathered
the bill and Abram S. Hewitt fought 1t. For
FIVE years New-York was deprived Of its mack
erel supply in the months Of April and May.
The year when the time expired the mackerel
fleet fitted out prepared to make great hauls
because of the five years of rest. and. to the
amazement of many people. the catch was the
smallest in twenty-f five years. The whole expert
ence demonstrated that the protection did not
protect, and that the rest had done no good.
The result demonstrated the truth Of Professor
Huxley's words in his report on the Great Brit
ish Herring Fisheries He said that man was
not a factor in the increase decrease of deep
sea fishes; that their increase or decrease was
determined by causes in which man had no part.
Now there a-e restrictions. and dealers
and fishermen awaiting the result Of the
seasons work The catch will undoubtedly be
good as to quality-Quantity one know
anything about"
The fish merchants do the largest business in
the month of May. Shad from North Carolina.
Virginia, Delaware and New-Jersey come to the
market at this time, and great quantities come
from the small fishermen along the Hudson.
This is also the month for porgies. which come
in large quantities from Rhode Island. and blue
fish from the south side of Long Island have al
ready come to the market in large quantities.
Ten large schooners are engaged in the bluefish
business, which sail between this port and North
Carolina and Virginia waters
The mackere fleet is kept busy until October
and the buefsh boats also remain in the service
until about that time while the shad vessels
have no occupation after June 10. But the yes
sells are not laid up after their regular season is
over. The mackerel boats go to Newfoundland
for herring, and the bluefsh boats that do not
need repairing go into the codfishng business
further North.
The oyster business gives employment to more,
but smaller, boats. There a few steam
launches and naphtha boats In the business,
but besides these there are about four hundred
ooats or from five TO twenty five tons. The
oysters and clans brought to New-York by
these vessels in the year ending May 1 repre-
scented about S30OOOO0
For long time the oyster market was In
Dock District No. T. but on May 1 It was
changed to Dock District No. 6. where there
are about twenty large concerns Most OF these
are planters with beds in Long Island Sound.
South Bay. Keyport, Princes Bay, York River
and Rockaway AT this time of the year many
of the vessels either in the clam business or
out of commission. and the men are employed
at the beds. shipping and planting oysters for
the fall trade.
That oysters not good in months that
have r is still theory with many people,
said l. F. Mersereau, but ii is not so popular
it years ago. and there is considerable
oyster business all the year round. When the
theory was first advanced we knew only Rock
away, Blue Point and Sound oysters, and they
are no better now in the r'-less months than
they were years ago, for they all go to spawn
at that time But oysters. like steam engines
and all other necessaries, have been improved
and the right kind Of oysters, from the right
places, good all summer, and are consumed
in large quantities. The summer oysters come
from the York. James and Rappahannock rivers
and are delivered here in loads Of from 200 tC
800 bushels"
From May to August is the clam season. and
In that time about forty times as many CLAIMS
as oysters are received at the NewYork market
the chief sources of supply being Glen Cove
Little Neck and the Highlands